Titans: Smith Samau & Daniel Isaac happy on the coast

[Queenslander]

Turner pawns happy with Titans

By Dan Koch
February 15, 2007

THE two youngsters traded to end the stand-off between Melbourne Storm and the Gold Coast Titans have broken their silence regarding their move to the new club.

Smith Samau, 20, and Daniel Isaac, 18, say they have been welcomed with open arms by the Titans players and management since making the move three weeks ago as part of a compensation package that allowed Steve Turner to stay in Melbourne.

While both clubs tried to play down the impact the affair was having on their respective camps, Isaac yesterday said it had become an issue for the players in Melbourne.

"Everyone tried to do their own thing and it wasn't something we talked about much, but it did start to get pretty annoying as it dragged on," Isaac said. "Steve is a good guy. I think we all felt for him and I think everyone is pretty happy it is over."

Samau and Isaac concede they had only their own futures in mind when they left Storm.

Isaac, a centre for the Australian Schoolboys last season, and Samau, a highly rated fullback and wing prospect, believe they are ready for senior action. But they faced an uphill task breaking into a Storm backline featuring Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Matt King and veteran Matt Geyer.

After being approached by their respective managers, the youngsters, who come from the south side of Brisbane, agreed to move to the Gold Coast, where they could be closer to their families.

"It's a good opportunity for me up here," Samau said. "It felt weird coming into the group halfway through the pre-season, but everyone has been great to me and I think I have settled in pretty well.

"I spoke to my manager and my family about it when the offer first came and I just thought I would have more chance of playing NRL football here. There's a lot of really good players here, but in Melbourne most of the guys are rep players and are pretty settled in their positions, so it is hard to get a chance."

Samau, who is in the process of moving in with former Storm clubmate Jake Webster, said he knew he belonged at the Titans after his first meeting with the club's managing director Michael Searle and coach John Cartwright.

"They are very professional, but also really approachable," he said.

"The coaching staff are tough, but Carts has been really good to me. He is really approachable and I can talk to him pretty easily, where I was a bit scared of (Melbourne coach) Craig Bellamy."

An arthroscope on his knee will delay Isaac's start to the year, but Samau will get a chance to prove his worth in the Titans' first trial on Saturday night in Coffs Harbour, which will be played against a Storm outfit featuring Turner.

Cartwright said he had been "pleasantly surprised" by Samau's work on the training track and was looking forward to getting Isaac back from injury, having heard rave reviews of his efforts at junior representative level.

The Australian

[Steve Dangerous]

i think it worked out well how they're both qlders.

interesting to see how they go when given a chance at the big time.