By Bernie Pramberg
August 24, 2006 12:00am
Courier Mail

STRONG-running Tweed Heads winger Nathanael Barnes is on target for a contract with the Gold Coast Titans.

Barnes, 23, led a field of slick finishers in the Queensland Wizard Cup to be leading tryscorer.
Although he did not score in last weekend's dramatic 26-20 comeback victory over Wynnum-Manly, his 22 tries for the season topped the table.

"I've had a talk with the Titans and hope to be there next year," he said.

"Nothing has been signed yet but I definitely want to play at that level. I want to keep improving and going forward."

Barnes has played all his club football with Seagulls, except for one year with Tugun in under-16s.

"I played footy at Palm Beach Currumbin High School where I also did athletics," he said. "But I was a bit of a late starter in club football."

At 180cm and 92kg, Barnes has the ideal build for a winger in the modern game and continually works on his fitness and speed with former Parramatta and Wests trainer Fred Turner.

"Fred has been a big help and gives me plenty of feedback," he said.

A student at Kingscliff TAFE, Barnes, also a handy goalkicker, has been an integral member of an under-rated Seagulls team that has played attractive football under coach Steve Murphy.

"The key is that we all enjoy our footy. There's no names, no egos, just a really good bunch of blokes," Barnes said.

The players are keen to send coach Murphy out on a high note as he will also join the Titans in 2007 as an assistant coach.

Murphy has named an unchanged squad for Saturday's elimination final against Easts Tigers at Piggabeen.

For Sunday's qualifying final between North Queensland and Redcliffe in Townsville, NQ will have halfback Brent McConnell returning from NRL duty.

McConnell, a dual Queensland Cup premiership winner, pushes 18-year-old Brady Payne to a five-man bench.

Redcliffe has turned back the clock 10 years by naming forward Mark Shipway in the centres.

Shipway, who played centre for the Dolphins in the 1996 State League final, will be used in the three-quarters with Nick Emmett injured and Kaine Manihera suspended.



There has been talk on the forum before about this bloke maybe a good pickup sounds really good anyone see him in the Q cup