Titans: Jonah Lomu to the Titans in 07?

[Queenslander]

On the Today show this morning it has been reported that the Titans are meeting with Rugby Union legend Jonah Lomu tomorrow to see if he is interested in playing next year for the club.



Some of his Rugby Stats from http://stats.allblacks.com/Profile.asp?ABID=506

FULL NAME
Jonah Tali Lomu

BORN
Monday, 12 May 1975 in Auckland

AGE
31

PHYSICAL
1.96m, 119kg

POSITION
Wing

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT
Sunday, 26 June 1994
v France at Christchurch
aged 19 years, 45 days

LAST TEST
Saturday, 23 November 2002
v Wales at Cardiff
aged 27 years, 195 days

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES
73 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS
215pts (43t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

[bruski]

It would be a mistake, he is injury prone and getting too old!!

[Queenslander]

Lomu linked with Gold Coast Titans
Monday, October 16, 2006 - 7:53 AM

Former All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu is reportedly being courted by the Gold Coast Titans NRL club.

Lomu will meet with the Titans management on Tuesday to discuss a possible code switch according to Gold Coast's News Limited newspaper.

If Lomu, 31, passes a medical assessment and accepts a Titans contract he will be the second high-profile rugby signing for the new NRL franchise following Wallaby Mat Rogers's decision to join the club from 2008.

Lomu, with 73 All Black caps and two World Cup appearances, was sidelined after the 1999 World Cup when a debilitating kidney disease threatened to end his career.

A 2004 transplant allowed Lomu to return to the football field and despite a comeback with North Harbour in the provincial competition, and a year in Wales, Lomu has been unable to attract Super 14 interest ending his dream of a return for the All Blacks.

He now has his sights set on becoming a dual international and joining the Titans in the NRL would kick-start those ambitions.

Source: AAP

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Lomu set for Titans
By Col McCleland
October 16, 2006

THE Gold Coast Titans are poised to pull off another league sensation, with the signing this week of former New Zealand wing Jonah Lomu.

It is understood the giant former All Black will meet Titans management tomorrow to discuss a code switch.

If he passes a tough medical assessment and agrees to terms with the fledgling NRL side, Lomu, 31, will join former Wallaby Mat Rogers as the second high-profile union player to sign with the new club in the past three months.

Titans management remained tight lipped about the impending deal yesterday and, when contacted by The Gold Coast Bulletin, managing director Michael Searle declined to confirm or deny the club was planning to meet with Lomu.

However. Lomu, who attended Saturday's Tri-Nations Test between New Zealand and Australia, has privately indicated he has set his heart on becoming a dual international, and joining the Titans would be the first step up the ladder.

According to sources close to the Lomu camp yesterday, his move to league is "not a cash grab" but a genuine attempt to make an impact in the sport.

Undoubtedly he will have to tighten his belt if he makes the switch, as he will not be able to command the lucrative financial deals he has been able to sign-off on in the past.

If Lomu and the Titans can agree to terms, salary cap restraints will prevent the franchise from offering him a pot of gold, and it is understood the deal will be for one year but will contain an option to renegotiate for 2008.

With 73 New Zealand and two rugby World Cup appearances to his credit, there's little doubt a fully fit Lomu would have a massive impact on league.

The huge Kiwi, who is reckoned to be the biggest man ever to wear the national jersey, was sidelined after the 1999 World Cup when a debilitating kidney disease threatened to end his stellar career. But the big-hearted winger refused to lie down and a 2004 kidney transplant opened a new door for him.

After recovering from the operation, he made his comeback with North Harbour in the NPC at a reported $350,000 a year then spent a season in Wales where he was sidelined again, this time through an ankle injury.

Throughout it all, Lomu maintained his desire to break back into top-line rugby and set next year's World Cup in France as his target.

However, earlier this month, he was forced to concede defeat. Unable to clinch a Super 14 contract for the 2007 season, he looked towards Australia's new third-tier club championship but was not immediately snapped up.

That's when he began to focus seriously on the idea of breaking into the NRL competition. "I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed about not getting a Super 14 contract," said Lomu earlier this month.

"But I have had a go. I would have been more disappointed if I didn't have a go. "I don't feel I have let anyone down. I've given it my all. It's been a failure in the sense I didn't make the All Blacks (for the 2007 World Cup) but I certainly didn't fail myself. "I dared to dream. Who can criticise me for that."

Gold Coast Bulletin

[RIP]

I love 2 c him in a titans jersey but he did have a dream of the allblacks winning the world cup with them & thats next year but he dosen't get injury that often & everythink is very good with his kidney disease so lest sign the man up! (just keep enuff 4 fielden!!)

[Souths'n'Titans]

Yeah I have heard this numerous times now

[Pale Ale Panther]

would be a great drawcard, but i think he would be out of his depth, would have to play in the forwards aswell, imagine Merrit or Hayne up against the big man, would make him look silly, he has the turning circle of the Titanic. the Titans would be better off waiting for Del to come back from his holliday

[bigjim]

Not sure about this signing if it goes ahead. Not sure if he could make a successful transition at 31 when his hearts not really in it.

There's no doubting his reputation and past achievements but at heart he loves union and will always be an All Black. The Titans are just a compromise.

If he was fit and managed to fit into the team and the game he would be simply awesome. He would likely be the biggest and scariest man playing league.

[Titanium_BD1103]

I love Jonah, I really do, but this is not a smart move by the Titans... it would be like a marquee signing and we already have one of those in Rogers...

Jonah is going into the latter stages of his career and whilst he was great as an All Black, one of the best in fact, he is past his prime, struggling with health and doesn't look the player he once was.

I would be happy if we did sign him, but if I had to choose, I'd pass, because as much as I love him as a player, I think that his signing would be another signal to people that this is can be a retirement home... which is not what the GC are about...

Having said that, if he is fit, can show form and is willing to play and doesn't look like he is about to end his career, then perhaps its a gamble worth taking, but he will need to show his old school form, and we haven't seen that as of recent times.

[Throb]

I think he would absolutely struggle trying to keep up with the pace of the game. Even just the running forward and backward as part of the defensive line keeping the 10. It was fairly well documented how hard it was for Brad Thorne to make the switch back from Union to League - and he already knew what he had to do.

Wingers in union don't really do much in the context of a game - they tend to do the flash finishing off a good backline movement, and are important in that regard. Lomu - whilst he might be good for the turnstiles - would not be an early success on the field. It all depends on how committed he would be to make the switch fairdinkum.

Billy might also sort him out!!!

[Grimmace]

Im a bit unsure of this signing if it goes ahead.As good a player he was/is i personally dont know if he can make the transition.
Hopefully he can prove me wrong though as he may prove his weight in gold

[DeeGan]

Geez, Jonah would be like a going to watch a Mike Tyson fight now - you would attend to see if could regain some of that old ferocity and fire that made him the most feared man in his profession before his career stalled.

At the right price, yeah, take a gamble on the big unit. Age and injury though are a huge concern though he would be a massive drawcard out on the wing for us.

My head is also saying "aren't we loaded with backs for our first season?"

Time will tell. This is a rumour not going away and the big unit it is said enjoyed the Test on Saturday which he attended.

[BrisbaneBroncosRule]

I would love to see Lomu play again.

[Grimmace]

I would love to see Lomu play again.

So would i but lets face it he is past his best and with so many injuries im not sure he could handle it.
Luckily he will face a medical test before the titans decided on weather to sign him or not.
Who knows he could be one of the best signing though i doubt it.

[titansroostersfan]

I think it's going to come down to what the medical will say. Timmins was going to sign with us until his medical knocked him out. So i think his signing will come down to what the doc says and what the club think he can add to the titans

In saying that what a huge signing he would be. But anyone reckon could he keep up with the pace of the game.

[Darren Lockyer]

woulf be a great signing