2018 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[JunctionBlock]

Lots of room in that giant brown paper bag.

[Dobes]

Rumours going around that the Raiders are set to release both Blake Austin and Aidan Seizer. Seizers supposedly going to the dogs and Austin is linked with Souths, but I don’t really see why they need him when they have Walker, Reynolds and Doueihi.. Anyone think he’d be worth making a play for?

[Mr Bods]

This story about Brennan being interested in getting Folau has me really concerned about his judgement

[RavShamrock]

Austin & Seizer are duds. No, no no!
Folau on the other hand is an out and out champion, still only 28 and I don't think his body has taken a beating. In saying this I would be interested at the right price for sure.

[Mr Bods]

^^^ RVS we would have to pay him Hayne money and even then we’d be short of what he can get in Union

[mdrew]

Maybe just maybe Gareth Brennan has pulled one out of Bennett's play book. When your team is under a bit of pressure generate another story to take the pressure off your team?

[RavShamrock]

Folau would come with massive 3rd party interest.
The biggest in the game I presume

[RavShamrock]

Gold Coast Titans chasing Israel Folau for 2019. Are they a genuine chance?
LEAGUE
March 29, 2018 4:03am EDTMarch 29, 2018 3:39am EDT

''(They are) one of the few clubs that could afford him.''



Michael Di Lonardo
Updated at 4:03 a.m. ET
Desperate to fill the monstrous-sized hole left behind by Jarryd Hayne, the Titans are turning to another marquee recruit to salvage hope on the Gold Coast.


Titans coach Garth Brennan confirmed to The Courier Mail the club will be hunting down the signature of Wallabies superstar Israel Folau to wear Hayne’s old jersey.

Without a recognised fullback at the end of the World Cup, Brennan turned to former Roosters Michael Gordon who agreed to terms on a two-year deal.

MORE: The Queensland Rumour Mill: Will Luke Keary, Michael Morgan and Tevita Pangai Jnr play State of Origin?


However, chief playmaker Ashley Taylor has been stranded for attacking options in the early parts of the season, left clueless in attack as the Dragons ran riot in a 46-point demolition.


The club believes Folau can not only solve their attacking issues, but also attract more talent to the Glitter Strip in a similar trick out of Newcastle’s playbook in the Kalyn Ponga signing.

Speaking to Sporting News’ Lurker Live, The Australian’s Brent Read believes the Titans are one of the few clubs that could afford him, but his return to rugby league largely depends on how much the rugby union star will demand.

‘’Izzy came out a few weeks ago and said ‘I’m keeping all my options open’ because he is off contract at the end of the year with the ARU,’’ Read told Lurker Live.

‘’I spoke to Todd Greenberg at the time about it and said ‘Todd, would you want to meet with him?’ Todd said ‘I’d like to meet with him, sit down with him. We want him back in the game if we can get him back in the game’.

‘’This is a money issue. The Gold Coast have obviously expressed an interest, but you’re talking about a bloke on mega dollars who by playing rugby union has the opportunity to go to Japan or France and earn millions of dollars over there.

‘’There is a suggestion Israel doesn’t want to travel anymore because he wants to settle down and have a family.

‘’If that’s the case maybe league has a hope, but it’s going to take a lot of money and the NRL is not going throw money in. They’ve got that marquee fund now, but that’s to be spread amongst 30 players.

‘’The most any player can get out of that marquee fund is about $250,000.’’

Read did suggest Folau could use the Gold Coast’s public interest as a ‘’bargaining chip’’, but the club does tick a number of boxes that would suit his needs.

Asked if he thought Folau would be as damaging as his Brisbane and Melbourne days, Read was confident rugby union may have in fact developed his skills further.

‘’I think he would be,’’ Read suggested.

‘’The issue is Israel has been out of the game a long time. To justify playing him that kind of money you’d have to play him at fullback, you can’t play him on the wing and pay him a bucket load of cash.

‘’That requires a lot of miles from his legs. His ball-playing would be better from being in rugby so I don’t think it’s out of the realms of possibility that he could be an elite fullback again, but it’s a risk.’’

[NZTITAN]

I would think the only chance of this happening is if Izzy really wanted to come back to the NRL, he'd have huuge deals elsewhere in overseas Rugby.

Id take him in a second though, I have been a huge admirer of his game for like a decade now and off-field he'd be tremendous for this franchise.

I fully understand this is a rebuilding club but if im being brutally honest, this franchise isnt winning anything anytime soon, I think we have to make another big play at a free agent and 'swing for the fences', that would be Izzy.

I know this fanbase is enamoured with the toughts of pre-Hayne Titans in 2016 (gritty, underdog status etc etc) but in reality that team wasnt great at all, it limped into the 8 seed after help in the last round or so, combined with a fairly soft season overall, yes they were solid but I think if you were to play an NRL season over 10 times with that same squad in tact we'd make the 8 maybe twice more?.

If I am to be correct in thinking (I obviously hope they prove me wrong) that we wont win anything for a while, id rather watch a team with some exciting players in a Titans jersey and IMO you cant get much better than Israel Folau.

Another thing, hoping for a full 1-17 of Titans/GC juniors over any significant external free agent is just not sustainable at all, yes having a few GC boys scattered throughout is nice but i'll ask this, do any of you seriously think that fans would rather burst through the turnstiles (im not talking about Kane Elgey here) to watch Anthony Don, Phillip Sami or Kevin Proctor over Israel Folau?

[RavShamrock]

Give Folau equity in the club. Boom!

[BundyTitan]

Izzy can't be compared to Hayne at all. Hayne was a lazy trainer and wanted the spotlight on him even before he left for America whereas I just don't see Folau being a lazy trainer and sook. He'd certainly be a good image for our club and is a great fella that I'd love to see wearing the light blue and gold. My only concern is whether or not he can play at the level that we saw from him before he left long ago? You'd want to be sure before throwing millions at him.

[Mexican titan]

This story about Brennan being interested in getting Folau has me really concerned about his judgement

I'm with you mate, haven't we had enough of these sugar hit signings. He'll cost plenty and hasn't played League for years so big a risk for me. I'd rather we spend on a couple of good centres, 5/8, forwards.

[Titanic]

Sounds more like Annersley and the Board to me.

[RavShamrock]

Lets help Manly out with their salary cap and sign Taniela Paseka.
Karma can be a B!tch!

[gotitans101_]

I asked this in the game day thread but does anyone know how much fullback Sami played in the younger grades? They mentioned it on commentary and I just wondered if he'd be a FB option in the future.