2022 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Whats Doing]

Lam is definitely not the answer.

Whilst you may not be of the same view as others , who is the answer in your opinion that is realistic

[The Birdman]

There is no one available at the moment that I can think of. We are in a tough spot.

[willhelm]

I’m not a fan of Lam either but I wouldn’t mind him as depth. Comparable to Will Smith I reckon.

[Titanic]

I’d take Laybutt for his defense and kicking.

[teke]

I’d take Laybutt for his defense and kicking.

So would I, i thought the same thing the last time Kumuls played Great Britain.

[SCoast Titan]

Realistically, I know we all want better players for this team to be playing better but at the moment who is out there that we could realistically get to improve this team??

I don’t know what it is but the team just goes in cycles and we need to break it… 09/10 Finals, 2011 Spoon. 20/21 9th and Finals, 22 Spoon?? I don’t know if it’s a culture thing or not but who can tell me what our club identity is?? What do we believe in??

[DIEHARD]

Alick's next goal NRL after dream Kumuls debut
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...-kumuls-debut/

Jacob Alick's first game wearing Papua New Guinea colours couldn't have gone any better for the International debutant, starring with sterling performance in his side's 24-14 win over Fiji in Sydney on Saturday.

Despite not having played in first grade yet in his fledgling rugby league career, the 23-year-old Titan took the opportunity on the big stage like a duck to water, arguably one of the best for the Kumuls in their epic contest against the Bati in the weekend's Pacific Test match.

The Gold Coast forward played 64 minutes at lock, making 165 metres - 63 of those post-contact, two tackle breaks and had a hand in 45 tackles to help his nation to a stirring victory.

He'll now return to the Burleigh Bears to continue to grow as a player after his maiden Kumuls experience, with the hope of working hard for a shot in the NRL in the not too distant future.

"My recent conversations (about an NRL debut) with Justin have been really good," Alick said.

"He's been saying to me to obviously not try and rush things and I don't think that I'm just going to walk straight into first grade.

"Obviously, you've got to work really hard and that's something I've tried to do.

"I'll go back to Burleigh, build some combinations with a few of the boys back there and I think just enjoy my footy. Justin's a big 'enjoy your footy' coach.

"I think I bring a lot to the attacking side. It's obviously defence I'm working on in my game to take to the next level, but he's been really good in telling me just to back myself which I think I've done in in the first 10 weeks of the comp."

The young and upcoming back-rower couldn't be any more perfectly poised to continuing growing, training everyday in the Titans' top 30 squad before going back and playing under the ever-experienced guise of Rick Stone who is at the helm of the Bears.

Sitting comfortably first in the Hostplus Cup, currently five points clear of the rest of the pack, the experience around Alick in the Burleigh bears line-up has made a huge difference to his career progression in such a short amount of time.

"The names I could rattle off... they've been there for years building a great culture down there," Alick said.

"Sam Coster, Pat Politoni, Hayden Schwass are just some the names that drive all the culture there and it's just been so easy for myself to go back there. They've treated me like I've been there for years.

"To be honest, all they know is winning. They've been in the top four of the comp the last ten or so years. didn't like just being at the top of the Comp top for over a year for the last 10 or so years.

"All they demand is success and I think everyone comes in knowing that you've got to do your job and you got to win and it brushes off on everyone."

But whilst the NRL newcomer is thankful and really enjoys his time at Pizzey Park each and every week in the lower grade, the end goal is to make the Titans top 17, especially now with an International cap under his belt.

"I'd be silly not to say that I've been dreaming it for so long," Alick said.

"I'm so close now, but yet still feels an arm reach away, but I am pushing for it.

"I'll just keep trying to do what I do at Burleigh and then obviously go to the next level."

[Upthetits]

Who's position do we think he would take

[toddythetitan]

Who's position do we think he would take

That’s a good point outside of Tanah our bench is probably the strongest it’s been in awhile, might put a rocket up a few of the guys though to perform. Guys like Joliffe and McIntyre will need to perform

[willhelm]

Who's position do we think he would take

Proctor

[Bayside Titan]

Indulge me here for a bit as I guess I’m getting a little nostalgic.

If true we have three spots left and our season is that we look unlikely to make the 8. Here is a thought I have.

1. See if we can get Lam on loan for the remainder of 2022.

Now this is where I’m tugging on the heart strings here.

IMO I feel as a club we don’t have players retire with us aside from Don lately.

So ……

2. We see if we can get David Mead and Ryan James back this year and send them off as a Titan. For mine if they retire a Bronco it would be such a shame.

Anyhow just thoughts. I guess seeing Mead play the other night must have produced those thoughts.

[GCTTSD]

Indulge me here for a bit as I guess I’m getting a little nostalgic.

If true we have three spots left and our season is that we look unlikely to make the 8. Here is a thought I have.

1. See if we can get Lam on loan for the remainder of 2022.

Now this is where I’m tugging on the heart strings here.

IMO I feel as a club we don’t have players retire with us aside from Don lately.

So ……

2. We see if we can get David Mead and Ryan James back this year and send them off as a Titan. For mine if they retire a Bronco it would be such a shame.

Anyhow just thoughts. I guess seeing Mead play the other night must have produced those thoughts.

I'd rather have Mead here over issako and Herbert, never should have let him go in the first place

[Just-a-Fan]

Lam would help but i think it is too late now as young turner is going good there
ADAM KEIGHRAN put him in 14 and in rotation with Booth put Clark at lock move Big Tino to starting prop bring JoJo in on the right side swap with Herbert from time to time in the game

[Whats Doing]

Sport Confidential: David Fifita move to Dolphins could free up funds for Payne Haas

A superstar merry-go-round could facilitate the movement of two of the biggest names in the game. See who wins, and who misses out
Peter Badel
and
Travis Meyn

The Gold Coast Titans are circling Payne Haas as the NSW Origin superstar weighs up his future at the Broncos.

Sport Confidential can reveal the Titans are among a number of NRL rivals watching Brisbane’s contract saga closely at Red Hill as Gold Coast look to bring a double dose of Haas talent to Parkwood.

The Titans already have Haas’ younger brother Klese on their books and they have their hat in the ring to lure Payne to the Gold Coast.

The older Haas dropped a bombshell on the Broncos in May when his management emailed the club seeking an immediate release. Brisbane naturally rejected that request and have agreed to revisit the matter at the end of the season to allow Haas to focus on Brisbane’s finals charge.

But if Haas, contracted until the end of 2024, cannot ultimately find common contractual ground with the Broncos, the Titans are one of several clubs ready to pounce.

Payne has a history with the Coast. He was contracted to the Titans as a 16-year-old before severing ties with the club to spend 12 months at the Warriors, who lost the front-row young gun to the Broncos after he met with Wayne Bennett.

Haas’ parents still live on a large property in the Gold Coast hinterland and the Titans underlined their regard for Klese six weeks ago when they handed him an upgraded two-year deal.

The one impediment for the Titans is money. The Gold Coast have a large chunk of their salary cap tied up in Haas’ former Broncos teammate David Fifita ($1.1 million) and Queensland Origin star Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who signed a four-year extension in November.

The Titans have been buffeted by speculation Fifita, struggling for form, may seek a fresh start under his former Broncos coach Bennett at expansion rivals the Dolphins, a scenario that would give the Titans the funds to make a major play for Haas.

Haas’ decision to delay talks until the end of the season is a sign the 22-year-old will consider all options, but Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy remains confident Brisbane can stave off the Titans and other potential suitors.

“We will sit down with Payne at the end of the season and look at what his long-term future is,” he said.

“We won’t do that while the season is going on, we have a great opportunity this year and we don’t want to disrupt things.

“Payne is a wonderful player and no doubt other clubs would be keen to sign him, but I’m still confident we can keep him here.


“The hard line of this game is that it’s a business and you don’t take things personally, otherwise you wouldn’t be in it for too long.

“We’ve been able to retain guys like Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo and I’d like to think we can keep Payne here for the long term.”

[ozynorts]

If I had a choice between Fifita and Haas on the same money I would take Haas every day. He earns his money, Fifita, not so much.