2022 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[Bayside Titan]

Can anyone post this article up please:

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...2eaf3a120df98b

Hi mate. I’ll post up later tonight.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi mate. I’ll post up later tonight.

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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@NicDarveniza
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.

SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL TITANS TRAIN-AND-TRIAL SQUAD


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.

[JunctionBlock]

All of them I think mate

That's a shame for the indigenous community. Have the NRL released their guidelines for Vax mandates yet?

[Hail Sezer]

Can anyone post this article up please:

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...2eaf3a120df98b

Summarised in the pre-season thread too indo

[Titslover]

Can anyone post the Bulletin article about Brandon Smith?

[Whats Doing]

Brandon Smith to Titans: Gold Coast first in line as three QLD clubs join race for Storm hooker

At least three Queensland clubs officially joined the hunt for Brandon Smith on the opening day of free agency negotiations but the Titans made sure to get in first.

THE Gold Coast Titans have struck first in the race for Brandon Smith by making the Kiwi international his first offer of the NRL’s negotiation period.

At least three Queensland clubs officially joined the hunt on the opening day of free agency negotiations, with the Dolphins and Cowboys also submitting offers for the Dally M hooker of the year from 2023 onwards.

The Bulletin can reveal Smith’s management had received four offers by close of business Monday but expected a fifth in the coming days from a club they expect to be a major player in the bidding war.

The Storm’s last offer to Smith was in excess of $800,000 and, as his incumbent employer, they will expect an opportunity to match or outbid offers received on the open market.

The departures of Ash Taylor and Tyrone Peachey this off-season have freed up at least $1.3m in salary cap room for the Titans to make their pitch for Smith as competitive as possible.

Smith’s manager Stan Martin, of Sport Vision Management in New Zealand, said it was unlikely any agreement would be reached soon.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 16: Brandon Smith of the Storm makes a run during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Melbourne Storm and the Canberra Raiders at Suncorp Stadium on October 16, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

The Titans were the first team to reach out this morning, and the Dolphins weren’t far behind,” Martin confirmed.

“We’ve spoken to four teams I thought would be interested, which is all of them except the one I’m after.

“Most clubs have been aware for quite a while (Smith) was going to market today so most have made a decision on whether they want to go with Brandon or not.

We’re not expecting anyone out of the woodwork that wasn’t originally interested from this point.”

Smith has been spotted holidaying in Townsville, his first home in Australia, having left New Zealand to sign with the Cowboys aged 14.

His presence in Townsville will not have gone unnoticed by the Cowboys or their head coach Todd Payten, whose relationship with Smith stretches back to the club’s under-20s program in 2015.

Martin said Smith’s visit was for pleasure, not business, but suggested it would be *efficient to meet with Payten to discuss the club’s offer before returning home to Melbourne.

Prospective Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui called for the club to place its faith in Smith last week after the Storm rake was embroiled in an alleged cocaine scandal on the eve of the Dally M Awards night.

“That’s not the way Brandon is,” declared Fa’asuamaleaui, a former housemate of Smith’s in Melbourne before joining the Titans.

“I have faith if he came here we wouldn’t have any off-field drama. No way.

“If he did come here or any other club, his reason is to win premierships and be a starting hooker.

“If we happen to get him one day it would be pretty amazing.”

Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell said the club would review Smith’s pattern of behaviour before committing to any offer.

By making their move so quickly, the Titans have shown Smith has passed their test.

[Titans83]

I’m happy the club has made smith an offer.
Just looking through who’s off contract now it’s November. Obviously Ese Ese is going but what does everyone think of Wallace. I have mixed feelings about him. I think he tries really hard and likes the club but just has to many errors. Hamlin Uele for the sharks is a beast, great if we could swap those two contracts for him.

[Upthetits]

The Titans were the first team to reach out this morning, and the Dolphins weren’t far behind,” Martin confirmed.

“We’ve spoken to four teams I thought would be interested, which is all of them except the one I’m after.


I think the roosters would not have made an offer yet, Nick politis is a shrewd business man and I feel he would be playing it abit less desperate.

[Titslover]

Yeah bit concerned about that line “the one I’m after.” Makes it sound like they’re wanting a specific team (probably the Roosters) to make an offer.

[Mr Bods]

“except the one I’m after”. Withdraw the offer immediately. Not enthusiastic for us and the cocaine lies. Yeah, Nah.

[indoallstars]

Thanks Bayside and HS for posting up that article, exciting times!

[The Birdman]

Surely "except the one I'm after" is a misquote. If not we should withdraw our offer.

[Titanic]

Withdraw the offer and black list the agency.

[Hail Sezer]

Withdraw the offer and black list the agency.

They’re the ones who are sending us all the good kiwi kids. We’d lose half our junior base lol

That line from the manager is such a strange thing to say, and equally as strange is that the journo didn’t just write a story around that one quote - would’ve gone bonkers. For that reason I think theres maybe a chance it’s a misquote or just wildly out of context

*edited to make better sense

[hungryjacks]

This is a manager who is playing hardball with NRLs hottest commodity. He can say whatever he wants ( its not Brandon saying it btw )

[indoallstars]

So what's the backup plan if we don't get Brandon Smith, is it Reed Mahoney? Does anyone know if we are in talks with API Korisau? Freddy Lussick? Adam Keirghan? Reuben Cotter? These are the only ones I can really see playing no 9 who we can negotiate with from 1 Nov.

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Add to that list free to negotiate from 1 Nov Tom Starling, Blayke Brailey, Josh Hodgson, Cade Cust, Kodi Nikorima

https://www.zerotackle.com/every-nrl-player-able-to-negotiate-for-2023-from-today-nrl-111469/