Ben Ikin: Gold Coast Titans’ biggest roster decision heading into NRL 2017
12 minutes ago by SIMON BRUNSDON
Source: FOX SPORTS



FOX Sports rugby league guru Ben Ikin says Gold Coast have a big decision to make about their spine before they decide how to approach David Mead’s next contract.

The off-contract Mead has been filling in for regular No.1 and captain Will Zillman while the regular fullback has been injured.

The 27-year-old has been impressive in the custodian role, having played just 13 games at fullback in 129 appearances for the Titans before this year.

He’s predominantly spent his NRL career on a wing, and occasionally dabbled at centre.

Mead is one of several Gold Coast outside backs coming off contract, with the side’s two hookers (Nathan Friend and Kierran Moseley) and utility Daniel Mortimer also coming to the end of their current deals.

Ikin nominated Mead as one of the players the Titans must retain but said they need to do a proper assessment of their spine before they decide how to approach his next deal.

“I love watching David Mead play, he is wholehearted,” Ikin told the Fox Sports Market Watch podcast.

“That shot he put on Corey Oates to save a try, that’s putting your body on the line. He’s so quick, speed is an asset you can’t have enough of in the modern game.

“I don’t think he’s ever going to be a Billy Slater or a Greg Inglis or a Darius Boyd, but he’s a seven out of 10 (at fullback).

“I think he’s an eight out of 10 winger.

“The question for the Titans is sometimes you’ve got to weigh up if you have seven or eight out of 10 halves, maybe they can carry a seven or six out of 10 fullback.

“It all comes back to the make-up, and depending where they land with their nine, six, seven and one will determine where David Mead ends up playing.”

Titans COO Brian Canavan joins Ben Ikin, Ben Glover and Nathan Ryan to explain the salary cap and the biggest challenges facing the club.

In other words, are the playmaking stocks good enough on the Gold Coast to ignore the best fullbacks on the market, such as premiership winning star Lachlan Coote?

Their first-choice halves this year are Tyrone Roberts and Ashley Taylor, who have played little more than 100 NRL games between them.

Young playmaker Kane Elgey has extended his contract with the club and will return from an ACL injury next year.

If it’s not at fullback where the Titans spend their money, they also have some big decisions to make on their hookers.

Mystery surrounds the No.9 jumper with veteran Friend off contract and young Moseley still yet to break through as a bankable first grader.

Titans chief operating officer Brian Canavan, however, says a priority for the recruitment team is in the outside backs.

“We’re searching for a centre,” Canavan told the Market Watch podcast.

“John Olive became available for us and he’s filling the role very well, and he’s the ideal age. “(Super League recruit) Dan Sarginson is joining us next year and he adds to our base.

“We’ve got two, if not three, outside backs in our under 20s who have potential to play NRL in a short space of time.

“We’ve got to be very smart and very selective with who we recruit because we don’t want to clutter the place up.”

On the Mead conundrum, Canavan admits he is unsure whether the 27-year-old is best suited to fullback or wing.

“Whether David Mead slots back onto the wing, whether he wants to compete with Zillman for fullback we’re not quite sure but he will fall into place somewhere,” Canavan said.

Ikin says the club will need to weigh up exactly how much Mead is worth to the team.

“If (Mead’s) market value is above what the Titans are prepared to pay for him, and we’ve seen in the past, if they put a market value on a player generally they don’t go over it,” Ikin said.

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So I thought it'd be interesting to start a discussion on this. Does everyone think Mead should be our long term fullback? Or do we head to the market?

Personally I think a spine with:
1. Mead
6. Taylor
7. LG
9. Moseley (?)

Would be fine and would be competitive. Mead still has a lot of work to do on positioning but his hard work and his body-on-the-line defence is outstanding (as shown on Oates and Kahu). Also needs some work on ball playing which will happen as he gets more time back there. Here's hoping Henry doesn't boot him for Zillman.