Yep there is an article in the bully on it. Gives good insight.
Yep there is an article in the bully on it. Gives good insight.
Ah yes true, have just seen it. For anyone interested:
Nice Darvenzia, Gold Coast Bulletin 28/11/2020
No team in the National Rugby League has leaned as heavily on train-and-trial contracts as the Gold Coast Titans since Justin Holbrook took the reins at the club late in 2018.
The Titans have used the train-and-trial contract as a means to rapidly rebuild their roster using cheap, motivated talent.
Halfback Jamal Fogarty, Prop Jaimin Jolliffe, hooker Erin Clark, winger Greg Marzhew and centre Young Tonumaipea all transformed preseason opportunities at the Titans into full-time contracts for 2020 and beyond.
The Titans have confirmed the signing of 32 players in their extended squad for 2021, with one position in the top-30 squad and three development positions up for grabs.
Development prospects Jojo Fifita from The Southport School and Burleigh Bears Tristan Powell and Alofiana Khan-Pereira, will audition for an upgrade to the top 30 alongside a host of more than nine players signed to train-andtrial deals.
These are the NRL longshots the Titans hope can follow in the footsteps of a stellar train-and-trial Class of 2019-20.
BRAYDEN McGRADY
Age: 23
Height: 198cm
Weight: 91kg
Position: Centre/Wing
The son of Bulldogs great Ewan McGrady was released by Penrith Panthers this year.
The 23-year-old was signed on a two-year deal after lighting up the Queensland Cup with Tweed Heads.
Before his 2018 ACL injury McGrady had scored eight tries in five games in a wellbeaten Seagulls side.
His Tweed coach Ben Woolf said McGrady wouldn’t shine in physical testing but few players could find the line better in game situations.
BRENT WOOLF
Age: 22 Height: 172cm Weight: 86kg Position: Hooker
Arguably the form hooker in A Grade in 2020 with Mudgeeraba, Woolf is making up for lost time after injuries cruelled the start to his career after representing Queensland at under-16 and under-18 levels and Australia at under-15.
With Mitch Rein, Tanah Boyd and Erin Clark ahead of him Woolf has a real chance to make his mark on Titans preseason.
WILL BRIMSON
Age: 24 Height: 188cm Weight: 94kg Position: Five-eighth
The older brother of Maroons star AJ Brimson was a surprise appearance at training this week after signing with the club for the pre-season.
Brimson is a hard-running five-eighth who helped lead Mudgeeraba Redbacks to the A Grade semi-finals in their first season in the competition in 2020 in his return to footy from an extended absence.
The Titans have just three full-time halves in the Top 30 squad in Ash Taylor, Jamal Fogarty and teenager Toby Sexton, opening the door to a Brimson Bros reunion.
LLOYD PERRETT
Age: 25 Height: 194cm Weight: 115kg Position: Prop
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS product Lloyd Perrett, a 25-year-old veteran of 56 NRL games in the front-row for the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles, spent the 2019 season with Wynnum Manly in the Intrust Super Cup after failing to win a position at the Brisbane Broncos on a similar deal last year.
Burleigh coach Rick Stone brought him to the Gold Coast for a chance to break back into the NRL.
“The biggest change this year is he’s got himself fit,” Stone said. “He has real skill as a front-rower with his passing at the line and his offloads, which is a skill every team would love to have.”
CORY DENNISS
Age: 23 Height: 193cm Weight: 99kg Position: Centre/winger
Strapping outside back Cory Denniss burst on to the NRL scene with two tries for the Newcastle Knights on debut as a 19-year-old back in 2016.
The winger went on to play 16 first grade games in total over the next two seasons before signing with the Rabbitohs. A poor run with injuries halted the former NSW under-20s representative centre’s rise and he was released by Souths this month.
Denniss has linked with the Burleigh Bears for 2021 to play under former Knights coach Rick Stone, the father of Denniss’s good mate and Titans back-rower Sam.
ANDRE NIKO
Age: 22 Height: 193cm Weight: 97kg Position: Centre/winger
Despite his release by the Raiders after a poor run with injury, NRL recruitment guru Peter Mulholland is a big fan of the tall, athletic strike back.
Niko scored 13 tries in 18 games for Mounties in the NSW Cup in 2019 and kicked 69 goals. Centre depth could see Niko leapfrog development squad options to become the Titans’ fourth centre.
Last edited by Hail Sezer; 28-11-20 at 09:05 AM.
I’m thinking Denniss might be the one that elevates
Thanks HS. I don't have an electronic subscription.
I hope Braydon's brother Glenn McGrady comes back to the Gold Coast with him.
Glenn is a talent as well.
What's wolf like as a hooker prospect compared to Clark and Boyd who id much rather in the halves
Brent woolf played hooker/lock this season for Mudgeeraba, probably an 80/20 split in favour of hooker.
If he can break into the Titans NRL squad, I would think that it would be as a hooker who could fill in at half/lock for short bursts.
In many ways he is not dis-similiar to Erin Clark but possibly a touch quicker out of dummy half than Clark.
MDrew who out of Niko, Dennis's, McGrady is the front runner for an outside back position? I don't know much about them but they seem to be tall and have some size do them, which is something the Titans have historically lacked in the outside backs. It would be great if we could blood some of these juniors in the centre/wing position without breaking the bank as all the good clubs do.
If he can get back to his Newcastle form before he moved to Souths Sydney Corey Denniss may be the best of the three but Andre Niko is probably the one for me who has the best chance as he the type of player the Titans have never really had (maybe Marcus Bai was the closest) being a big straight running outside back who would rather run over a defender than around them. He is a legitimate try scorer and has the potential to be an NRL sides first choice goal kicker as well.
Braydon McGrady is an interesting one and relies more on guile that the other two. He had a few injuries in his time at Penrith, hopefully he is over them.
Thanks for the insights mdrew and HS ... I agree with you that with our pack rampaging flankers should best suit Holbrooks expansive strategy.
Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.
Love the knowledge as always on the league of Titans, great stuff! Super excited for next year and the years to come!
congrats to the titans re the insite of there new signings patric Herbert and sam mcintyre
something that has been missing hope there is more to come (videos would b good)
on the subject of the good things congrats on the injury early updates these small things keeps the fans interested cheers titansfanatic
Glad to see you back with us titansfanatic! I agree. The brains trust on the forum really adds a lot of depth and interest for me. And I learn a lot of things outside of my knowledge base.
PUT EM TO THE SWORD! SHOW SOME STEEL!
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Here at training again today. The squad in numbers looks bigger than last week. Really good energy today. Fifita is really talking in the rehab group which has Taylor and Thompson in it.
#TitansThruNThru #WeAreReady
Good to hear, love the updates thanks BT, keep em coming.