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Just some of the article.
Gold Coast Titans sign 20 NRL hopefuls on train-and-trial deals for 2022
The Titans’ 2021 Train and Trial squad has been released – and there’s some big names on the roster, including the brothers of two top NRL players.
Nic Darveniza
Nic Darveniza
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6 min read
November 1, 2021 - 9:40AM
Gold Coast Bulletin
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Titans train-and-triallists. Picture: Gold Coast Bulletin
Titans train-and-triallists. Picture: Gold Coast Bulletin
THE day Keebra Park prop Payne Haas walked out the Titans’ door to sign with the Broncos aged 16 was the most painful recruitment in Gold Coast rugby league history.
There was no chance the Titans would let the next Haas slip through their fingers, signing Payne’s younger brother Klese to a train-and-trial contract that will see the centre join the club for his first NRL pre-season from Monday morning.
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Haas earned selection in News Corp’s Langer Trophy team of the season in 2020 for his right-edge play in the school’s run to the semi-finals.
The Titans pounced, and school coach Glen Campbell predicts they have landed a talent with the potential to rise to NRL superstardom.
Payne Haas' little brother Klese Haas. Pics Adam Head
Payne Haas' little brother Klese Haas. Pics Adam Head
“He’s a big, mobile backrower and he’s got the potential, with his family DNA, he could be built like Viliame Kikau (when he stops growing),” the Keebra Park coach said.
“That’s where his ability has got to take him but as his game develops Klese could be a real handful.”
The early signs of a damaging ball carrier were there in the first round of the 2020 competition, when Haas beat five defenders with a combination of right-foot sidestepping and a damaging fend to score by the posts against Wavell.
The opportunity presented by a train-and-trial contract is nothing to scoff at for young Klese.
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Since Justin Holbrook took the reigns at the Titans ahead of the 2019 pre-season no NRL club has leaned as heavily on the train-and-trial system to promote talent from outside the top 30.
Halfback Jamal Fogarty, prop Jaimin Jolliffe, hooker Erin Clark, winger Greg Marzhew, centre Young Tonumaipea and fullback Jayden Campbell all took pre-season opportunities with the club to break into the big time under Holbrook.
In total, 20 train-and-triallists will begin training on Monday morning, alongside rookies Tom Weaver and Shallin Fuller, who are already contracted to the club’s development list.
Haas is not the only train-and-trial product with family ties to the NRL.
Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui is the younger brother of Titans lock Tino, and Tweed lock Braden Robson is the elder brother of Cowboys No.9 Reece.
With 27 Top 30 players signed as of November 1, the Titans must sign another two players before March 1 and fill the final roster spot by June 30.
There are four development contracts available in 2022 which sit outside the Top 30.
The Titans have signed three in Aaron Booth, Tom Weaver and Shallin Fuller.