Titans blood young guns Brian Kelly, Shane Wright, Greg Leleisiuao at Nines
An hour ago
TRAVIS MEYN The Sunday Mail (Qld)
THE Titans have had a pre-season plagued with bad luck.
Star centre James Roberts walked out the door just before Christmas due to a contract bungle and rising halfback Kane Elgey suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the New Year.
The club has seen some positives recently, with the emergence of a new crop of players.
Youngsters Brian Kelly, Shane Wright and Greg Leleisiuao will be blooded in next weekend’s Auckland Nines as coach Neil Henry looks to the future.
They have improved dramatically during their first pre-season with an NRL squad and the Titans are looking to bring them into the fulltime system for the rest of the year even though they are still eligible for under-20s.
Kelly has been the standout of the group and is pushing for a berth at centre or wing while Wright is a rising back-rower. Leleisiuao is a powerful ballrunner who can play anywhere in the backline.
Henry is looking to continue the trio’s development and their manager Tas Bartlett said the club was working to keep them in the fulltime system.
“This year was about giving Brian a taste of fulltime training,” Bartlett said. “He’s had to grasp the attitude and work ethic you need for NRL training.
“He’s taken to it like a duck to water. He’s impressed all the coaching staff and they’re now looking to put something into place to allow him to continue training at the higher level and accelerate his development.
“Shane has surprised the coaching staff. He was a late inclusion and has shown he’s got a great motor and work ethic. He’s turning some heads. His priority is to remain at the Gold Coast.’’
Former Eels flyer Nathan Davis is another untapped centre who will get the chance to push for an NRL position at the Nines.
The Titans are down on centres after James Roberts left the club for Brisbane.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...medium=twitter