2018 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Bayside Titan]

As NZTitans said.

November 24 2017 - 3:51PM
Adrian Proszenko
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Ben Murdoch-Masila could be on his way back to Australia after his blockbusting World Cup form caught the attention of several NRL clubs.

The Salford forward has been a standout coming off the bench for Tonga, reproducing the form that earned him a spot in the Super League Dream Team. The Gold Coast are one club to take notice after several standout World Cup performances, raising the prospect of "BMM" adding to his 58 NRL appearances for Penrith and Wests Tigers.

New lease of life: Tongan forward Ben Murdoch-Masila.
New lease of life: Tongan forward Ben Murdoch-Masila. Photo: AAP
Murdoch-Masila will have another opportunity to impress when Tonga take on England at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, with the winner earning a World Cup final berth.

"I have spoken to my partner and if the right NRL opportunity presented itself to us, we would take it with both hands," he said.

"There is one opportunity that I know of, but I've been focusing on the World Cup while in camp.

"When I first came into camp, I was one of the last ones to arrive.


"As soon as I walked into the room, everyone was laughing and joking. The thing about these Tongan camps, all the boys know each other and we click so fast. That's been showing on the field, we're gelling well."

Murdoch-Masila came to the Tigers via Keebra Park, the same junior nursery that produced Benji Marshall. The school's league mentor, Greg Lenton has described Murdoch-Masila as the most talented player he has coached. However, the death of one of his closest friends, Tigers teammate Mosese Fotuaika in 2013, changed everything. A devastated Murdoch-Masila lost his mojo and headed overseas in a bid to start afresh.

"I spent some time in the NRL, but unfortunately it didn't end too well," he said.

"My time at Super League, I feel the love of the game again. I went over with a clear mind and it's been a big blessing for me to be over there. My family enjoy it and whatever makes them happy makes me happy. That's showing out on the pitch.

"When I was back in Sydney, it was just too much of a reminder of bad things, of Moses and a couple of other little things as well.

"I went over for a fresh start, which is what I needed. It was just me, my partner and my daughter, so there were no other distractions. It was exactly what I needed."

England will go into the semi-final as favourites, but the Tongans are undaunted. Having already eliminated New Zealand from the tournament, a star-studded side that includes Jason Taumalolo, Andrew Fifita, Michael Jennings and Will Hopoate believes they are capable of reaching the final.

"It would be a fairytale story, but we're just focusing on this weekend," Murdoch-Masila said.

"We do believe we can get to the next stage, no one is doubting themselves. We believe we can do it.

"We know the hype that's been around on us but we still have a job to do. The coach is good at bringing us back down to earth and getting the job done first."

The Titans are making plenty of changes to their playing and coaching rosters. The club has welcomed Eels under-20s coach Luke Burt, is close to signing Panther Leilani Latu and is also eyeing off several other players.

http://amp.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...24-gzsb7j.html

[Mr Bods]

^^^ Ex Keebra is a great idea so long as they don’t have a Kenny Edwards rap sheet however if Brennan sees Elliot, Sarginson and TRD as our Back up Fullback options then we need to forget adding anything to our squad till we get a proper Fullback

[Titansborn'n'bred]

I'm liking the direction we're heading in. Sounds like Latu is a done deal, would happily take Masala as more impact off the bench and with $s freed up with Hayne buggering off were a couple of key signings away from having a quality team. Fullback and centre are the obvious areas we're lacking. An article I read the other day would suggest Brennan has someone in mind to replace Hayne (Gutho or French would be ideal)

[psmitty]

TITANS CONSIDERING ORIGIN SQUAD PLAYER


The Titans are considering signing former QLD Origin squad member Edrick Lee - should Jarryd Hayne link with Parramatta.

Lee, who began his career with Canberra, is contracted to the Sharks for 2018.

However, Hayne's anticipated departure from the Gold Coast would free-up space in the salary cap for the Titans to replenish their backline with a player like Lee, whose manager resides on the holiday strip.


http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leagu...918hatu5a2w8cg

[ozynorts]

TITANS CONSIDERING ORIGIN SQUAD PLAYER


The Titans are considering signing former QLD Origin squad member Edrick Lee - should Jarryd Hayne link with Parramatta.

Lee, who began his career with Canberra, is contracted to the Sharks for 2018.

However, Hayne's anticipated departure from the Gold Coast would free-up space in the salary cap for the Titans to replenish their backline with a player like Lee, whose manager resides on the holiday strip.


http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leagu...918hatu5a2w8cg

Not a player who has ever impressed me.

[Mr Bods]

^^^ agreed. A good QCUP player at best
Not NRL standard

[DavidBouveng]

F&%*ing hands like feet.

No thanks.

[BatlowTigers]

Have we resigned Ben Nakubuwai?

[JunctionBlock]

With $1.2 million in the kitty I think we can do better than Edrick Lee.

- - - Updated - - -

Have we resigned Ben Nakubuwai?

I don't think we did.

[teke]

Edrick Lee....oh my

[Titanic]

Edrick Lee? You’d have to be kidding.

[Titansborn'n'bred]

Would much prefer Leutele from Sharks to fix our centre problems and poach a quality fullback from a club who has too many backs on their books or is over budget for next year

[Bayside Titan]

TITANS CONSIDERING ORIGIN SQUAD PLAYER


The Titans are considering signing former QLD Origin squad member Edrick Lee - should Jarryd Hayne link with Parramatta.

Lee, who began his career with Canberra, is contracted to the Sharks for 2018.

However, Hayne's anticipated departure from the Gold Coast would free-up space in the salary cap for the Titans to replenish their backline with a player like Lee, whose manager resides on the holiday strip.


http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leagu...918hatu5a2w8cg

Good signing for Tweed.

[Bayside Titan]

Gold Coast Titans: Incoming assistant Luke Burt buys into coach Garth Brennan’s vision for club
Emma Greenwood, @EmmaGreenwood12, Gold Coast Bulletin
November 24, 2017 10:00pm
Subscriber only
LUKE Burt has bought so heavily into the vision being created for the Titans he was willing to move from the one NRL club he has known his whole career.

Burt played 264 games for Parramatta between 1999 and 2012 before joining the club’s coaching staff and leading the Eels to the under-20 grand final last season.

While the Eels still had a role for Burt, he has been poached by the Titans, with incoming coach Garth Brennan getting him to buy into his development culture.

“He’s been a one-club man and it’s a big show of support for the Titans that he’s willing to move his family out of Parramatta,” Brennan said.

“They had a role there for him, so it shows a real sign of where this club is heading for him to uproot his family and move up here and believe in my vision that I spoke to him about.


Luke Burt will join Garth Brennan’s staff as a Titans assistant.
“He’s young, he’s enthusiastic, he’s very passionate about the development side of things.

“He’s coached 20s similar to Hodgo (fellow assistant Craig Hodges) and myself, so we get the development side of things and how important that is.

“And he obviously had some success last year being beaten in the grand final.”

But there was one ingredient that was more important than any for Brennan.

“More than anything, he’s a good guy,” Brennan said.

“You don’t play all your career at one club and do what he’s done in the game if you’re not a good person.”


Burt also received a glowing assessment from newly anointed NSW Origin coach Brad Fittler, who he worked alongside for Lebanon at the Rugby League World Cup.

“Brad Fittler spoke very highly of him in the Lebanon team — he was assistant coach for Lebanon — and we saw how well they went in the World Cup, especially against Tonga last week,” Brennan said.

“His passion is attack and he’ll be hands-on in that area to a certain degree.”


Luke Burt in action for Parramatta where he played 264 NRL games.
While Hodges’ passion is defence, those roles will not automatically fall to the pair, with Brennan preferring his staff to be all-rounders.

“I don’t like my coaches just being focused on one area,” he said.

“Hodgo, Burty and myself have all been head coaches in our own right, so we have the ability to cover both sides of the game.

“I’m really excited to have Luke and Craig both working alongside me.

“We’re going to be very active out in the junior league and coaching the coaches and coaching the Titans way.”

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/...5a57bc66cf10a7

This last paragraph says a lot to me and something that I really believe that this has been lacking.


Hey

[Titanic]

Yes that’s what we want ... go team!