2021 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Hail Sezer]

Gold Coast Titans snare Langer Trophy class of 2019 star Tony Francis
Andrew Dawson, 31st May 2021

Langer Trophy 2019 graduates Reece Walsh (Warriors) and TC Robati (Broncos) have snared NRL debuts this season, and now the Titans have grabbed another class of ‘19 star - Tony Francis.

The powerhouse centre/five-eight is training full-time with the Gold Coast.

“It is really exciting for him. It was never a case of if, it was when an NRL signed him,’’ said Jesse Maclean, his former coach at both Marsden SHS and Wynnum Manly.

“Once he got on top of back to back knee injuries, his ability was there. It is really exciting for him and his family.’’

Francis is an old Marsden SHS team mate of Robati who made his NRL debut for Brisbane last Thursday.

Francis is a blockbusting runner whose aggression both carrying the ball and in defence is a feature.

Francis and Robati played a huge role in Marsden reaching the state schoolboy Phil Hall Cup grand final in 2019 against Kirwan SHS.

He was then set for a bumper 2020, only for his season to be curtailed by injury.

Initially a Brisbane Broncos signing, Francis also had interest from the North Queensland Cowboys but it is the Titans who have seen him as part of their future.

He was absorbed into the Junior *Titans System development program during the off-season and played for the Titans under 19s during pre-season trials.

But the blockbusting Francis has now progressed to be full-time with Gold Coast.

Originally from Sydney, Francis said moving from NSW for the 2019 season was “probably the best thing I have done’’ because it gave him a chance to be noticed in the Langer Trophy.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/quest...bd6c7d06cdb504

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Nothing new and not massive signing news, but the exact thing that was posted here which Darveniza went on to address in the GCB as untrue and "premature". Could've been your story Nic.

[5 Year Contract]

Reuben Garrick has been told he can negotiate from 2022 onwards...thoughts. Has only missed 10 tackles all year

[NZFan]

Reuben Garrick has been told he can negotiate from 2022 onwards...thoughts. Has only missed 10 tackles all year

Absolutely not. We need outside backs that carry hard, make metres early in the set and can score tries. Defence can be taught (except in the case of our current crop obviously), x factor can't.

We need to start looking at our outside backs as key players within the team, not just an after-thought where you put your lowest paid players. Garrick would come cheap but realistically he is a back up's, back up within a 30 man squad.

Look at all of the top teams, they all have strike outside backs. Our best outside back to ever play for the club is Mead. No disrespect to Mead as he is one of my all time favourite Gold Coast players, but that statement really says where we are at as club.

[5 Year Contract]

Absolutely not. We need outside backs that carry hard, make metres early in the set and can score tries. Defence can be taught (except in the case of our current crop obviously), x factor can't.

We need to start looking at our outside backs as key players within the team, not just an after-thought where you put your lowest paid players. Garrick would come cheap but realistically he is a back up's, back up within a 30 man squad.

Look at all of the top teams, they all have strike outside backs. Our best outside back to ever play for the club is Mead. No disrespect to Mead as he is one of my all time favourite Gold Coast players, but that statement really says where we are at as club.

I think his stats say more than backup. He is top 20 in the position currently and presidents XIII selected. I 100% agree we need strike backs but he would be a solid upgrade in defence. Double digit line breaks 80%+ defence efficiency. For the right price he makes us better and is only young in his 3rd year. I think for the right price he’d be worth it. Again all based on not paying overs which sounds like is why he is now available. We do need genuine pace though and a superstar strike back but we also need some strong backs who can defend and he ticks the boxes IMHO

100% agree on the Meady comment. We haven’t had a threatening backline since him and Gordon tore it up

[Mexican titan]

Reuben Garrick has been told he can negotiate from 2022 onwards...thoughts. Has only missed 10 tackles all year

He isn't a bad winger and decent goal kicker.
Manly and his Manager are arguing over his worth and not surprisingly his manager is pumping his tyres. For the Titans, he is better than Sami and Don, not Thompson, but our problems are much more important than wingers. Just a look at the Sharks halves yesterday told me where our problems are.

[5 Year Contract]

He isn't a bad winger and decent goal kicker.
Manly and his Manager are arguing over his worth and not surprisingly his manager is pumping his tyres. For the Titans, he is better than Sami and Don, not Thompson, but our problems are much more important than wingers. Just a look at the Sharks halves yesterday told me where our problems are.

I think that’s all we can do at this stage there isn’t really any game changers available til 2023 so I think low cost positional upgrades is all we can really do for next year. I do agree though it Feels like arranging deck chairs on the titanic sometimes with trying to fix this club. Seems like when we get one area right another falls apart.

[coreythompson]

How come sometimes this forum doesn't work and I have to keep clicking refresh

[willhelm]

The Mole reporting Finucane to Sharks. C’mon Mal, don’t let him go there...

[JunctionBlock]

How come sometimes this forum doesn't work and I have to keep clicking refresh

Security doesn't like your shirt.

It happens.

[NZFan]

I really hope that we are having a crack at Finucane. Proctors money could go straight to him. Jayden Sua was also dropped by the bunnies last week. He would be a decent pick up also.

[willhelm]

I really hope that we are having a crack at Finucane. Proctors money could go straight to him. Jayden Sua was also dropped by the bunnies last week. He would be a decent pick up also.

Do we know why he was dropped? Performance or off-field issues?

[Whats Doing]

Do we know why he was dropped? Performance or off-field issues?

Whatever it was, Sua is a dam good edge player who bends the line and can really hit in defence. Something Proctor does not do. Also he has been selected in the Qld SOO so he must be doing something right

[hungryjacks]

I fixed it by changing my DNS to google. Instructions are pretty easy to follow if u just search.

[Nols of the Goldy]

Nicho Hynes has apparently signed with the Sharks for three years from 2022

[gotitans101_]

Nicho Hynes has apparently signed with the Sharks for three years from 2022

yep, there goes another one. Very slim pickings for next year..can't see much improvement in our team given our spine the way it is.