2018 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[DIEHARD]

I don't wanna be another Newcastle Knights. And of course Garth should be worried, he is an NRL coach and it is a stressful job indeed and you are under constant pressure.

[DIEHARD]

Mitch Rein poised to earn contract extension from Gold Coast after career resurrection
https://www.couriermail.com.au/

TITANS hooker Mitch Rein is on the verge of securing a contract extension at the Gold Coast less than a year after nearly giving up on his NRL dream.

Rein is expected to ink a new deal with the Titans within the next fortnight to remain at the club until at least 2020.

His career resurrection has come after the 28-year-old pondered whether he had a future in the NRL despite once being touted as potential NSW Origin hooker.

Rein won last year’s Intrust Super Premiership with Penrith’s reserve grade team, but had been told by the Panthers he was no longer wanted.

He headed to Europe on a post-season holiday before fate delivered him another crack at the NRL.

While in Croatia, Rein learned former Panthers reserve grade coach Garth Brennan had been appointed as Neil Henry’s successor at the Titans.

Brennan video-called Rein one day to offer him a deal at the Titans.

“They didn’t want me at Penrith for this year,” Rein said.

“Penrith gave me the tap on the shoulder. They had other plans. They made it pretty clear I didn’t have a future there.

“I got along with Garth pretty well from last year when he was the Reggies coach at Penrith. We formed a relationship.

“I was in Croatia on a little island called Brac. It was a long way away.

“I was going back and forth with my manager and him. It was doing my head-in ringing people on the other side of the world. The time delay was a ****-fight.

“We got each other on Facetime one night and he was at a wedding. We had a good conversation and I felt like I had heaps more to offer in the NRL.

“Things hadn’t worked out for me the last few years and I didn’t want to give up on it too early.”

Rein made his NRL debut for St George Illawarra in 2011 and was a NSW Country representative in 2014-15 as he edged towards Origin selection.

He left the Dragons after 132 games to join Penrith in 2017, but only managed five NRL appearances for the Panthers before being told to look elsewhere.

“I was looking at playing for Leigh Centurions (in England),” Rein said.

“Garth got a hold of me and told me there was an opportunity.

“I didn’t really have much out there. I didn’t want to give up my dreams of playing NRL. so I took the chance.”

Rein has made the most of his second chance, playing all 18 games of the Gold Coast’s up-and-down season.

He will come off the bench in Sunday’s clash against New Zealand at Cbus Super Stadium, but has proven he can challenge former Blues hooker Nathan Peats for the No. 9 jersey.

“It’s been a bit up and down,” he said of his season.

“Playing the role I’ve had off the bench … I’ve had a few games getting on right at the end of the game which is a bit difficult.

Rein was on the NRL scrapheap before the Titans picked him up.

“I’m doing everything I can to be the best at that. It’s pretty hard at times.

“The hardest thing is to keep my headspace right and stay relaxed. You don’t know when you’re going to get on.

“I’m doing everything I can to be the best player. Everyone has got different roles and that’s mine at the moment.”

The Titans have lost their past three matches to drop out of top eight contention.

Some poor defence has cost them dearly in their late-season slide and Rein said Brennan had put them through gruelling training sessions this week to fix it.

“We’ve been beaten up a bit and had a couple of tough sessions this week which is understandable,” he said.

“We’ve had really physical sessions. We’ve got a big game in defence coming up so we’ve ramped it up.

“We’re going to have our hands full taking this pack on, so we have been bashing each other.”

[Titan_Fan]

I have never felt so sick to the stomach when I heard they want The Don to take a huge cut in salary, The money they poured out for crap players and yet the top try scorer, the master on the wing, not only on the wing, he infiltrates the whole line to fill gaps, I couldn't be at Warriors game as I recovering from heart attack, but watched on TV and seeing The Don's presence in this game was great, a try then on the shoulder ready for the ball in 2 other tries if he was needed, they should be giving The Don 50k extra to stay not ask him to take a pay cut, let the COUCH, or ASH, or other high pay low output players give Don the 50k bet they wont. Come on Darryl and Rebecca, don't let this player go, I have been loyal since day one but this is the first time the thought of not renewing has ever crossed my mind. This is one player we need to keep he give his soul each and every game and is the true meaning of TITAN Thru and Thru. EVERY MEMBER needs to call Titans H.O., and leave the message that The Don needs to be resigned for right money and least 2 years.

[DIEHARD]

I have never felt so sick to the stomach when I heard they want The Don to take a huge cut in salary, The money they poured out for crap players and yet the top try scorer, the master on the wing, not only on the wing, he infiltrates the whole line to fill gaps, I couldn't be at Warriors game as I recovering from heart attack, but watched on TV and seeing The Don's presence in this game was great, a try then on the shoulder ready for the ball in 2 other tries if he was needed, they should be giving The Don 50k extra to stay not ask him to take a pay cut, let the COUCH, or ASH, or other high pay low output players give Don the 50k bet they wont. Come on Darryl and Rebecca, don't let this player go, I have been loyal since day one but this is the first time the thought of not renewing has ever crossed my mind. This is one player we need to keep he give his soul each and every game and is the true meaning of TITAN Thru and Thru. EVERY MEMBER needs to call Titans H.O., and leave the message that The Don needs to be resigned for right money and least 2 years.

I hope you are recovering well! I'm sure today's game helped.

Don was a stand out in today's match and I agree we should resign him. He has earned it. And it would be an investment in club culture. It falls into the basket of the club letting Nathan Friend go when all the fans wanted to keep him.

EVERY MEMBER needs to call Titans H.O., and leave the message that The Don needs to be resigned for right money and least 2 years.

I agree.

[Titan_Fan]

Thanks for your wishes mate, Got out Friday, so I am still in the Transition phase, a few stents and new pills but least right side of the turf , and not bypass makes it a little bit better .

As for THE DON, your dead set right about another the Nathan Friend Exit, we wanted him to stay he was still scoring tries and assists, but that basket claimed him, lets hope THE DON don't get caught up in it , you might be able to start a online petition here mate. Might be easier than getting us all to call and complain. Getting both would be even better but miracles are few and far between.

[DIEHARD]

There is an Anthony Don Appreciation Society on facebook with 1,400 likes. Perhaps you can message them if you have facebook?

CLICK HERE

[timor 2]

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...298504594c63e5
Anyone with a link

[Mr Bods]

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...298504594c63e5
Anyone with a link

It’s my pleasure to share this article with the Brothers and Sisters of The Beautiful Little City

Gold Coast Titans cult figure Anthony Don agrees to new two-year deal with the club


ANTHONY Don will remain at the Titans for the next two years after sacrificing a pay rise for loyalty to the club that gave him his NRL break.

The Titans were in grave danger of losing the cult hero, with three Sydney clubs understood to have been interested in the classy finisher.

But Don, who turns 31 at the end of the season, will remain on the Gold Coast until the end of 2020 after agreeing to what is likely to be the final deal of his career.


Anthony Don has agreed to a new two-year deal with the Titans. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images
The Grafton product, who played his 100th NRL game earlier this season, is understood to have sacrificed more than $120,000 over the next two years given offers on the table from Sydney clubs.

Instead, the club’s current player of the year has agreed to a take a pay cut from the Titans to remain on the Gold Coast, where he will soon become the leading tryscorer in club history.

Gold Coast are understood to have budged slightly from their original offer but have snared Don — who was already a bargain-basement buy — for an even smaller fee, with last year’s NSW Country representative on less than $140,000 a season.


Don celebrates with Brenko Lee in Sunday’s win over the New Zealand Warriors. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
The Titans were comfortable with their offer given Don’s age and injury history — he has had four shoulder surgeries — but losing him would have been disastrous, especially with Gold Coast product Kane Elgey set to leave and another fan favourite, Konrad Hurrell fighting for his future.

Don crossed in the Gold Coast’s win against New Zealand on Sunday to be sitting level with young gun Phillip Sami on 11 tries this season.


Don is on track to become the Titans’ most prolific try scorer. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt
And he believes he has plenty left in the tank after starting his career later than other players.

“My body’s fresh at the moment and I can definitely see myself playing for the next two or three years,” Don told the Bulletin earlier this year ahead of his 100th NRL match.

“I’m definitely proud of being a one-club player.

“It’s an honour to stay at the one club. A lot of people get moved on through their career, either by signing a bigger deal or the club not wanting them anymore, so I’m stoked to play 100 games at the Titans and hopefully I can add a few more.”

[BundyTitan]

Great news to see Don stay. Not the flashiest player or the one that makes or breaks a team, but a guy who will turn up and be consistent 9 weeks out of 10. Keeping a fan favourite like the Don for less than 140k a year (60k less than 2 other Sydney clubs and 120k less over 2 years) is an absolute steal especially considering he is our reigning player of the year and soon to be the club’s all time leading try scorer. Underrated too in my eyes and gives us a cheap, solid option on the right flank. For at least a another 2 seasons its Is Don is Good

[timor 2]

Thanks bods

[DIEHARD]

The club have done good by Anthony and the fans here. Thank you Titans.

As I've said once or twice, this is an investment in club culture.

I'm delighted that his Titans story isn't over yet.

[gotitans101_]

So he agreed to take a pay cut to remain a Titan, how good is that? And although I've been critical of Hipgrave, he was another one who rejected bigger money to stay here as well. And wasn't Wallace being offered bigger money elsewhere too before he resigned with us? Really nice to finally have some players putting the club first before money. Good on them and hopefully some of the others follow suite.

[teke]

Happy for Don and Happy for his fans but this coach is well on his way to re-signing the entire backline that has under performed all yr.

[indoallstars]

Good on Don, hard not to like this bloke. These are the type of signings which will help establish our culture for the next 5 years.

[JunctionBlock]

Good sigining. Is Don is good. Not great but he's like that bloke you work with that turns up everyday and does his job. Rarely does extras or under performs.

Shame we couldn't sign Suli, Tafua or Parker (you may be asking "who the hell is Parker?"), hearing great things.