Gold Coast Titans recruit Kruise Leeming reveals why he walked away from Super League giants Leeds Rhinos
He embarked on a 16,000km journey with only his short-term future secured. So why did the Titans’ newest recruit take the plunge?
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Titans recruit Kruise Leeming has revealed why he embarked on a 16,000km journey across the world to the Gold Coast, declaring while his future may appear foggy the chance to at last fulfil a “burning desire” was too enticing to turn down.
The Super League veteran announced himself to the NRL by scoring his first try on the Glitter Strip, a bittersweet moment as his new outfit succumbed 43-26 to the Brisbane Broncos.
Leeming‘s recruitment transpired quickly; with Titans coach Justin Holbrook sensing the need for greater depth at hooker in light of Sam Verrills’ long-term injury.
The Sydney Roosters premiership winner underwent surgery on a fractured collarbone after the Round 2 defeat to the Dragons; sidelined for at least two months.
Holbrook’s knowledge of the England competition from his time at the helm of St Helens proved crucial in luring Leeming to the Glitter Strip after the former Leeds captain sought a release from the club he guided to last year’s Super League grand final.
While the 28-year-old said he was unsure where his future lay beyond 2023, he was not thinking ahead to whether he would remain in Australia and fight for a longer stint.
He said despite the security of remaining at home, he had reached a point where he felt further growth was not going to happen playing it safe.
“I think in any walk of life any job that you get sometimes your sell by date runs out,” Leeming said.
“I loved my time at Leeds, they’ve been fantastic, but I got the opportunity to come over here to work with Justin and with him being at St Helens it felt like the perfect fit for me.
“The transition has been seamless, it’s something that’s been a burning desire of mine – to play NRL – for a long time and I got the opportunity so it was too hard to turn that down.
“It depends what goes on and how I’m playing and if there’s a contract for me there at the end of the year. I’m not contracted to anywhere yet so if there’s something.
“I’ve still only just got here and am still getting my bearings, I don’t want to jump to any conclusions or jump to any decisions.
“I don’t want to say I want to stay here for the next 10 years or go back tomorrow, I’m just taking every day as it comes and I think that’s important to do.”
Having now found his feet on the Gold Coast, Leeming could expect greater involvement in Titans colours moving forward; particularly in light of their humbling Saturday night capitulation.
The lively dummy-half was limited to another short stint off the bench; finishing with a try, 15 tackles and 27 running metres from two carries.
However Leeming said he had not given any thought to what his role may be once Verrills returned.
“I think that’s in the distant future, it’s something that Justin is going to have a look at how I’m playing and how the team is going and how I’m fitting in,” Leeming said.
“For me that’s not something I’m worried about right now, it’s about playing day in day out, training my best and playing my best.
“Obviously it’s only a snippet of the NRL for me, there’s still a long way to go. I’ve still got a lot to prove over here.”
In front of a capacity crowd Cbus Super Stadium, the clash was billed as a heavyweight battle between Titans big man Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Broncos superstar Payne Haas.
However while the latter continued to produce formidable numbers — finishing with 194m, 27 tackles for no misses and five tackle busts — it was Moeaki Fotuaika for the Gold Coast who set the tone.
In a relentless night, the Tongan international may well have thrust himself back into the State of Origin conversation for a Maroons jumper; charging for 171m from 16 carries to put his side on the front foot.
The Titans appeared to be in control on the stroke of halftime; tries to Phil Sami and Alofiana Khan-Pereira inspiring a 14-6 lead before Brisbane centre Herbie Farnworth scored as the siren sounded.
A sin-binning to Fa’asuamaleaui just passed the hour mark for repeated infringements proved costly for the home side, with the Broncos scoring two minutes later through Kurt Capewell and shortly after via a piece of brilliance from Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam.
While Holbrook was left exasperated by the decision to send his skipper off for 10 minutes — claiming it “ruined a good game of footy” — Fa’asuamaleaui shouldered the responsibility for the lapse.
“I’ll have to watch it back but it’s just frustrating, I let the team down. A crucial moment like that where we’re on the back foot and I let the team down by getting 10 in the bin,” he said.
“I made it hard on the boys with 1 men and that’s when the flood gates opened. Whatever the decisions, that’s football but I’ve just got to be better as a leader and as a captain and not get sent off for something stupid.
“I didn’t purposely do it I just thought it was an incomplete tackle and wish I never did because panning out the way it did was frustrating.
“But that’s football, you get some calls you don’t and like I said I let the team down.”
Titan Foran’s inside word on derby clash: ‘Tino will take it personally’ (April 13)
Kieran Foran has declared he will be at “100 per cent” fitness for the Gold Coast Titans clash with Brisbane, as he braces for a crucial battle with Broncos maestro Adam Reynolds.
The Gold Coast star has been sidelined since his side’s Round 4 defeat to North Queensland three weeks ago, suffering a calf tear in the 24-12 loss.
His comeback has proven pivotal to the Glitter Strip’s chances in the local derby, with his replacement and last week’s hero Toby Sexton succumbing to a fractured thumb.
“It feels good, I got through some running earlier on in the week and last weekend when the boys played. All going good and I’m really excited to be back in there,” Foran said.
“I feel 100 per cent, I’m looking forward to giving it a really good hit out tonight (Thursday) through the session. It will be all systems go come Saturday.
“The boys have chatted about it (the Queensland rivalry) briefly, you always hear about the rivalry and I’ve certainly watched the games over the years.
“It’s awesome to be a part of one now and I’m looking forward to getting out there on Saturday.”
Foran confirmed star fullback AJ Brimson was on track for an injury return of his own next week against the Dolphins, having suffered a hamstring tear in the same clash with the Cowboys.
In his place, livewire custodian Jayden Campbell will seek to heap pressure on Titans coach Justin Holbrook to keep him in the starting side.
However it is the fight through the middle which Foran believes will determine the victor at Cbus Super Stadium, shutting down suggestions the fate of the contest will come down to who wins the match up between he and Reynolds.
The pair have each been partnered with a younger half in Tanah Boyd and Ezra Mam respectively, each tasked with being the calming figure to enable their junior teammate to thrive.
But the 32-year-old Foran declared the forthcoming conflict between Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Brisbane superstar Payne Haas would ultimately make or break the game.
“I’m no different to everyone out there, I just have to be at my absolute best. Hopefully all 17 of us who take the field are at our best on Saturday night. I believe if we’re all at that level we’ll come away with the win,” Foran said.
“I think it’s got to be a collective effort, as most of games of rugby league are won through the middle I think it’ll be no different in this one.
“They’ve got a pretty bruising pack but we do as well, and I think it’s going to be an awesome match up front.
“Payne’s been in great form but so has Tino, he’s been leading from the front for our team from the start of the season.
“He hasn’t missed a beat, so I’m sure he’ll take it personally and take it upon himself to stop Payne.”
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Originally published as Gold Coast Titans recruit Kruise Leeming reveals why he walked away from Super League giants Leeds Rhinos
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