2023 Season General Discussion Thread

[Cowabunga]

From what I've read it's pretty much purely QRL team based, All our juniors are still remaining at Burleigh even in their A grade squad it sounds like from mdrews posts. I don't think Burt is involved with us at all.

Looks like Keebra will be changing to a Sydney club as well, Sounds like the Dogs.

It is believed the elite league factory will announce an affiliation with a Sydney club on Wednesday while the Titans have launched their own raid by linking up with Hostplus Cup club Ipswich Jets.

It comes after former affiliate Burleigh signed a deal with the Brisbane Broncos.

The partnership between the Titans and Keebra Park included development opportunities for coaching and teaching staff as well as players coming through the pathway.

Currently, five Keebra Park alumni are playing for the Titans, with four other stars playing in the early 90s before the partnership.

Fellow elite Gold Coast school Palm Beach Currumbin State High joined forces with the Titans in 2020 to give the students the best possible pathway to the NRL.

PBC has confirmed they are not leaving the Titans and the pathway will remain between the school and NRL club.

[willhelm]

We lost Keebra. What the f*ck?

[Cowabunga]

We lost Keebra. What the f*ck?

HS and Mdrew would know more but I don't think Keebra are close to what they used to be compared to PBC who have way more of our kids in their system, The other schools have more as well.

[Titansborn'n'bred]

HS and Mdrew would know more but I don't think Keebra are close to what they used to be compared to PBC who have way more of our kids in their systems, The other schools have more as well.

HS & MDrew, please do shed some light and insight….

[Whats Doing]

What a complete stuff up but there may be more to meet the eye

[T0ken]

We have barley any kids in keebra iirc

Marsden and pbc are where we have a lot of our boys (northern rivers titans always go to pbc)

Jets is a technicality because of ikin meddling with our ops and losing Burleigh to the broncos. We aren’t developing anyone in Ipswich just sending aligned players to the cup squad because of the limit rate. Sounds like a holding pattern for the Parkwood QRL team. The jets ceo literally said that the roosters are still sending their qld dev boys there and they still work with them on development

I’d expect tweed to be stacked AF with shenanigans abounding. Ipswich will get those obligations players that never play cup probably with maybe 2-5 fringe players max imo

Don’t know what the club is doing with any of this as they haven’t really spoken much and probably won’t until des runs the preseason. Club isn’t leaking anymore so hard to get info

[Titanic]

Whatever the facts may be, losing geographical and largely historical pathway options is a terrible look for the Club. The Titans are supposed to be the flagship and rallying point of Rugby League on the Coast. Burleigh and Keebra are recognizable brands and without comment from our leadership it makes the Jets relationship look frail and desperate.

[Appsy]

We didn't even have Keebra for long as a school partner, so doesn't really sting. It lasted 3 years as an official 'partnership'. But a reminder to all - School affiliation means nothing if they're not officially apart of the Junior system. Clubs still get who they want, how they want and when they want, regardless of the school's 'club' allegiance. Which is why we need to continue to grow the JTS program.

PBC is where we're focused on with schools and I'm happy with that. They were runners up against Westfield Sports this year and show more promising signs than most. Losing Burleigh does sting, and at the Members Forum Steve Mitchell put his hand up for the mistake and owned it. But we still have everything else communications and junior wise with Burleigh besides the QRL side.

The thing is that at the end of the day, it is all a business. Whether us fans like it or not, those in charge are making decisions that'll either benefit or crumble the club. It's just a matter of wait and see which one happens, and I am expecting to see it all be beneficial. At this point, it HAS to be.

[Whats Doing]

So it appears that Keebra wanted an exclusivity arrangement with the Titans meaning that they wanted the Titans to sever ties with PBC and Marsden.

Who do they think they are and it is something the Titans could never agree to.

Let them wallow in their mediocrity

[willhelm]

That's r-tarded lol

[Hail Sezer]

Arrogant request from a school that has fallen off in terms of being anything close to a “rugby league powerhouse” in recent years.

The optics at face level don’t look great but all this is, is a school trying to gain a competitive advantage over other schools by forcing us to be exclusive with Keebra…who’s own RL program has gone downhill whilst PBC is far superior.

To follow on from some of the points above - “aligning” with a school doesn’t mean that club has a huge advantage in signing them. Clubs can try and sign whoever they want, whenever they want, from the year they turn 15. Brisbane have historically got the best kids out of Keebra - and they haven’t had an alignment with them.

Keebra has also benefitted from the Titans bringing their NZ kids over and putting some of them into the school. Those kids id imagine will now go to PBC instead.

Of course aligning with the school is great in terms of getting the titans brand/resources integrated with the school in some capacity, it’s good for optics, and there’s benefits to that. It helps with parents/kids feeling some attachment to the club and their programs. But absolutely not at the cost of abandoning PBC etc. Thats just stupid.

[lonegull]

Thanks HS, clears the air as to why