2018 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[indoallstars]

moeaki fotuaika extends for 4yrs. I don't know too much about him, but obviously Titans believe in him if he has made the top 30 and extended by that long.

[mdrew]

Great work by the Titans he is a player with immense potential

moeaki fotuaika extends for 4yrs. I don't know too much about him, but obviously Titans believe in him if he has made the top 30 and extended by that long.

[NZTITAN]

The very rare 4 year Titans contract extension

Good re-signing

[indoallstars]

Don't know who has gold coast bulletin account but headline from 3hrs ago saying upgraded contract for Alexander Brimson... Can anyone share...cheers

[mdrew]

AJ Brimson signed a three year deal until the end of 2020 not too long ago, so that is intersting

Don't know who has gold coast bulletin account but headline from 3hrs ago saying upgraded contract for Alexander Brimson... Can anyone share...cheers

[indoallstars]

AJ Brimson signed a three year deal until the end of 2020 not too long ago, so that is intersting

Beautiful, just keep hearing good news this offseason, what a rare occurrence after the past few yrs

[Nols of the Goldy]

Gold Coast Titans add to NRL squad with upgraded Alexander Brimson contract

Connor O’Brien, @obrien_GCB, Gold Coast Bulletin
January 11, 2018 5:00pm
Subscriber only

FOR years, Alexander Brimson was unable to crack into his school side’s top team. Now he is the man who could soon be piling pressure on Gold Coast’s incumbent NRL halves.

Away from the fanfare usually involved with ink drying on contracts, Brimson was quietly upgraded from development player status to a top 30 main squad deal just before the Christmas break.

The homegrown talent who played five-eighth for Queensland in last year’s under-20 State of Origin is tied to the Titans until the end of 2020.

His contract upgrade plus the fact the club have so far resisted the urge to sign a playmaker to replace Tyrone Roberts – leaving Ash Taylor and Kane Elgey as the only other specialist halves – shows the faith in Brimson.

“I feel like the club is happy with me and how I am going at the moment,” he told the Bulletin.

But things didn’t always look so upbeat for the left-footer as he came through the renowned Keebra Park pathway.

“I was in the B’s (reserve grade) for most of school until I got to like Year 12,” said the 19-year-old who is better known as “AJ”.

But Brimson always believed he could make the grade and, eventually, his persistence was rewarded.

“I look back and think that was good because it would have been easy just to go “stuff that, I’m playing B’s”,” he said.

“I guess I just had confidence in myself and as soon as I started getting bigger and stronger, I started playing better footy so I just kept doing it.”

The Brisbane-born footballer has blossomed into a dangerous running half with a solid kicking and defensive game.

Coming off a 2017 season in which he had a brief taste of the top level in the Auckland Nines and shared the Titans’ under-20 player of the year award, Brimson is ready to test himself against the game’s best.

“That’s my biggest goal,” he said.

“It is a massive step and I don’t really know how hard it is or what to expect but I feel like I would be ready if the opportunity came.”

Given Elgey is coming off a horror season, Brimson could conceivably lift himself into contention for a debut by delivering for Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup.

Both Elgey and Taylor have been helping mentor the boom rookie.

“It’s good to train with them and then at the end of the session do extras with them and just pick up key little things that they use,” he said.

[Mr Bods]

It’s great news we have Brimson locked down for 3 years. Gives Brennan a chance to develop him at his own pace and find the best spot for him be it at Fullback or as the Number 17 or dare I say it at 5/8 (but I remain an LG believer).

[Hail Sezer]

AJ Brimson signed a three year deal until the end of 2020 not too long ago, so that is intersting

The upgrade promoted him to the Top 30 as opposed to being on a development contract, for the 2018 season

[psmitty]

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/...c8f28570284729

Can access it so maybe someone else can post the full article.

[Mr Bods]

Gold Coast Titans coach Garth Brennan says Ricky Leutele will stay at Cronulla Sharks

Ricky Leutele scores for the Sharks. Picture: AAP Image
Ricky Leutele scores for the Sharks. Picture: AAP Image
GOLD Coast coach Garth Brennan admits he has inquired about Cronulla centre Ricky Leutele’s chances of joining the Titans.

Persistent rumours have linked the Brisbane-born 27-year-old to a move north, with stories resurfacing as recently as this week.

Brennan confessed he did contact the Sharks about Leutele but was shut down, leaving him to view any such deal now as “news to me”.

“When I first got the job back in October, I made a phone call to the head of football at Cronulla (Phil Moss) who I know very well, who was also at Penrith with me,” he said.

“I asked about Ricky Leutele because I was looking for some experience and depth in the outside backs.

“I knew of the article last year where he was homesick and he was keen to come back home with his wife and his family but Cronulla have reassured me that they have taken some steps to ensure Ricky is comfortable and settled in Cronulla.


Ricky Leutele in action for Samoa in their World Cup quarter final against Australia. Picture: AAP Image
“That was back in October and I haven’t heard or made any call since then.”

Leutele has played 103 games for the Sharks since debuting in 2010 and has been a regular first grader for the past four seasons.

[Dooldog76]

Some quality re signings coupled with some timely if not forced departures is making me excited for the new year. Brennan seems to be making the right noise, just want to see them perform now. Can’t wait!

[NZTITAN]

TYRONE TO TITANS
THE Panthers are in danger of losing one of their brightest prospects as the Gold Coast *Titans make Tyrone Peachey their No. 1 target for 2019.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Titans have already made the NRL’s best utility player an offer that will be hard for the Panthers to match.
Cashed up following the departure of Jarryd Hayne, the Titans are going out all guns blazing for Peachey with new coach Garth Brennan a big fan.
Brennan also has an in with Peachey having mentored the excitement machine during his stint as a lower-grade coach at the Panthers.
The Panthers will find it difficult to match the Titans’ offer as the club faces a salary-cap squeeze. With Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards and Tyrone May all coming off contract, something will have to give.

[JunctionBlock]

I hope so. He has more upside than downside.

[Titanic]

Good player but want to see 2018 unfold.