NRL 2022: Beau Fermor’s next challenge is in the Origin arena
Beau Fermor has quietly claimed the position of the Gold Coast’s most expensive player and then their former captain, now he is eyeing a Maroon jersey.
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Giant-killing Titans forward Beau Fermor has bolted into Queensland Origin contention after catching the eye of Maroons coach Billy Slater and sending a Test star crashing out of the Gold Coast’s top team.
Fermor will start in the back row for the Titans in Saturday’s final pre-season trial hitout against the Warriors at Redcliffe, relegating former New Zealand forward Kevin Proctor to the bench.
Proctor isn’t the first big-name Titan to be toppled by Fermor after he took $3.5 million man David Fifita’s starting position last year as the Gold Coast rocketed to a drought-breaking finals appearance.
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A hard-to-handle edge forward, Fermor has been the equal second-fastest player at the Titans this pre-season, clocking a top speed of 35.5kmh just behind fringe winger Alofi Khan-Pereira (36kmh).
He also has claims to being the Titans’ fittest player after setting a new club record for the 1.2km shuttle run with a time of four minutes and 30 seconds.
Fermor, 23, arrived at the Titans from Newcastle in 2020 on the back of a knee reconstruction, but has fought his way into the NRL team and is now being watched by new Maroons mentor Slater.
Slater recently invited Fermor to a lunch with current and potential Queensland players and has liked what he’s seen in the try-scoring forward.
“They normally have the Emerging Origin camps around this time of the year, but due to Covid they weren’t able to do them,” Fermor said.
“Billy had been doing the rounds around all the clubs and getting together with all the boys that would have been in that. I was lucky enough to be one of those. We had lunch and a chat, it was really good.
“It was a bit of a surprise, I wasn’t expecting it, but I got a lot of confidence out of that.
“He’s been liking what he’s seen over the last six months. He just told me to keep doing what I’m doing, build on the things I do well and work on the things I don’t do well.
“I need to be starting if I want to play for Queensland but if I’m focusing on that then my head’s not in the right space.
“Ever since I can remember I’ve watched Origin and wanted to play for Queensland. If I get that opportunity at some stage in my career I will be very happy.
“To be recognised in even an emerging squad is something I’m really proud of and my family is really proud of. If I’m playing well for the Titans that will give me the best chance of pulling on that Maroons jersey one day.”
Titans coach Justin Holbrook opted to start Fermor in the back end of the season instead of try-scoring sensation David Fifita, who was carrying a rib injury.
Fifita and Fermor will start together against the Warriors, sending Proctor to the pine in what is shaping up to be his final NRL season, at least with the Titans.
Fermor said he set himself a goal to earn a permanent starting spot this year.
“I get an opportunity to lock down that spot this weekend,” he said.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. Hopefully it’s my role for round one, that’s what I‘ve been training since November for.
“Every footy player wants to start, so to be in the starting 13 is something I’m really proud of.
“It’s a reward for hard work but I’ve got to put that out on the field this weekend.”
Holbrook will have to watch new halves Toby Sexton and AJ Brimson combine for the first time on television as he serves a Covid isolation period.
Holbrook said he was hoping Sexton and Brimson could have a solid hitout in the lead-up to the Gold Coast’s tough round one clash against Parramatta at Commbank Stadium.
“I won’t make them play 80 minutes, as long as they get 60-65 minutes in I’ll be happy with that,” he said.
“I just want to let them play. They’ve been training really well together.
“They don’t need to go out and create too much. They just need to go out and start building their combinations. This is the first chance they get to do it.”
Roosters recruit Isaac Liu will sit out the game due to a minor hamstring strain.
LEGEND’S WARNING TO RISING NRL STAR
Dally M legend Preston Campbell has warned son Jayden to not get complacent as the Gold Coast Titans dynamo prepares for the rigours of a full NRL season.
The NRL will see a different Jayden Campbell in 2022 after the fleet-footed fullback added 5kg to his slight frame during the off-season.
Now 81kg, Jayden is far from the biggest fullback in the NRL but believes he is better equipped for the physical challenges coming his way this season.
Campbell, 22, burst on to the NRL scene last year with some brilliant moments in a seven-match cameo which yielded five tries and a finals appearance in his rookie season.
But he is set to be targeted by opponents this year looking to expose his size and inexperience in a youthful Titans team.
Titans coach Justin Holbrook has shown faith in Campbell by shifting Queensland Origin star AJ Brimson to five-eighth to accommodate him at fullback.
And Campbell Sr, the 2001 Dally M Medal winner, has warned his son not to get ahead of himself in what shapes as a crucial season in his blossoming career.
“The old boy hasn’t said too much to me besides ‘don’t get too comfortable. Even though you’ve been told you’re in the starting spot, someone can come and take that away if you put in poor performances’,” Jayden said.
“I’m very excited about this year. Being told I’m the starting fullback has made me excited to showcase my skills and hopefully go deep into the finals this year. It will be my first year of a full NRL season so I’m really excited.
“I’ve put 5kg on. I was sitting around 75-76kg last year and now I’m around 80-81kg.
“It’s given me more confidence to go into collisions and stuff. Last year I was a bit hesitant going into contact but now it doesn’t bother me.”
Campbell punched out 40 minutes against the Broncos last week and will start at fullback in Saturday’s trial against the Warriors at Redcliffe, with Holbrook to field a full strength team apart from Roosters recruit Isaac Liu (hamstring).
Campbell has signed a three-year contract extension with the Titans, keeping him at the Gold Coast until at least 2024.
That means Campbell has the opportunity to become the Gold Coast’s long-term No. 1, but he must fire given it is Brimson’s preferred position.
“I was really excited when Justin told me I’d be fullback,” Campbell said.
“He has put his faith in me. He thinks I can play fullback, so I really want to repay him by putting in good performances each week.
“There is room for improvement everywhere. One thing would have to be my defence and ball-playing.
“There’s a great feeling at the club. We sat down in the pre-season and spoke about what we want to do at the club.
“Everyone has really bought into creating a winning culture.”
Holbrook wanted to make an early call on Campbell playing at fullback so he could focus on the position through the pre-season.
The third-year coach has been impressed by Campbell’s development and said he would continue to improve as his body became battle-hardened.
“He’s been going great and training really well,” Holbrook said.
“He was good for us last week in that first half and will play a bit more this week.
“He had to get a bit stronger, rather than putting weight on.
“It’s going to take him a few years. He’s only slightly built so he can’t just go out and put on 8kg in a pre-season.
“He’s put on about 5kg which is enough, and he’s a lot stronger which is the main thing and what he needed to work on.”
‘My heart’s here now’: Taylor regains spark at Warriors
Maligned playmaker Ash Taylor has declared his heart is with the Warriors and he is ready to resurrect his NRL career ahead of his showdown with former club the Gold Coast Titans.
Taylor will make his first appearance against the Titans since leaving the Gold Coast last year in Saturday’s trial game at Redcliffe.
After making his debut for the Broncos in 2015, Taylor had an eventful six seasons at the Titans. He quickly developed into one of the NRL’s most hyped young playmakers and in 2018 was rewarded with a $3 million three-year contract as the Titans fought to retain a player they thought would be the face of the club for a decade.
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But the pressure that came with being a $1 million-a-season player contributed to Taylor’s downfall, with the former Junior Kangaroos star briefly walking away from the game in 2019 as the Titans plummeted towards the wooden spoon.
Taylor, 26, fought back in 2020, but again found himself out of the Titans’ NRL team last year and was not offered a contract extension by the Gold Coast.
With limited options to continue his NRL career, Taylor took a $900,000 pay cut and signed a train-and-trial deal with the Warriors, which led to a one-season lifeline for 2022.
He will partner Kiwis star Shaun Johnson at the Warriors’ scrumbase on Saturday and said he had found a new home.
“It’s been a different experience coming from always being top 30 to a train-and-trial contract and having to earn it,” Taylor told the Warriors.
“It’s been tough at times but I just had to put my head down. I wanted to work hard and I got rewarded with a contract so it’s been awesome so far.
“Obviously it’s a new environment, new team and new structure so I’m learning all that stuff. It’s been difficult at times but I’m learning and hopefully I’ll be taking that into the trials.
“I haven’t cemented a spot so I’ve got to trial well, get our combinations working and hopefully get a round one jersey.
“I sort of know what’s coming at me. The Titans are a team on the up. They’re a young team and I’m sure they’ll be looking for a great trial. They’re heading into the season with a bit younger team.
“It’ll be an awesome trial but my heart’s here now so us boys here at the Warriors have to put our best foot forward and hopefully start the year well.”
Taylor has been one of the NRL’s most perplexing stories.
A schoolboys star in Toowoomba, he was signed by the Broncos before his 13th birthday and looked set for a long career at Red Hill.
But the presence of Ben Hunt in Brisbane prompted Taylor to seek a release for more opportunity at the Gold Coast and he produced three impressive seasons from 2016-18, securing one of the richest contracts in Titans history.
That was when it all started to go downhill for Taylor.
With the weight of a club on his shoulders, and the pressure of a seven-figure pay cheque, Taylor’s form dipped and he took time out in 2019, returning to western Queensland to work in opal mines.
The Titans gave him little clarity last year about where he stood in their plans and it wasn’t until their season was over that they announced Taylor would not be offered a new deal.
Reluctant to shift states, the 115-game playmaker opted to resurrect his career with the Redcliffe-based Warriors, who have seen a dramatic shift in his attitude to football.
“He’s been really happy around training and looks like he’s enjoyed it,” Warriors head of football Craig Hodges said.
“He’s fitted into the club really well, as has his whole family, which has been nice.
“It’s been well documented that he’s taken a fair pay cut and has backed himself to play footy. He’s enjoyed it being just about the football.
“When he had to decide why he was playing and why he wanted to come to us, it was purely to play football.
“He’s trained like a guy that’s excited to be playing and he feels like our team is on the improve so he’s enjoyed the mood around training.”
Hodges coached Taylor in Brisbane’s under-20s team when he was regarded as the hottest halfback prospect in the NRL.
Taylor showed glimpses of his talent over the past few years but struggled with the relentless toll of first grade. After working hard on a lingering hip issue, Hodges said Taylor was ready to give first grade another crack.
“In all honesty, Ash just needs to enjoy his footy again,” he said.
“He’s been down on confidence over the last couple of years and a lot of that external stuff, as well as him putting pressure on himself, hasn’t helped.
“He hasn’t forgotten how to play. His skills haven’t gone. He’s still got one of the best kicking games in the competition and is around the top five for try-assists every year. He has still got a lot of really good assets.
“If he gets back to enjoying it then his confidence will come back and once he starts to believe in himself a bit more you will see his footy progress very quickly.”
Titans embrace Mal’s massive challenge
Titans culture leader Mal Meninga is confident the club can win two premierships by 2030 and the Gold Coast’s title pursuit hasn’t been hampered by missing out on big name recruits.
The Titans kicked off their 2022 campaign with a 26-all draw against the Brisbane Broncosat Cbus Super Stadium last weekend.
It was the Titans’ first game since last year’s heartbreaking one-point finals loss to the Roosters, where the Gold Coast missed a golden opportunity to win the game in the dying seconds of the Townsville thriller.
While it was a drought-breaking play-offs appearance for the Titans, who hadn’t played finals since 2016, the club wasn’t satisfied with a first week exit.
They raised eyebrows around the league late last year when unveiling a nine-year blueprint with the target of winning two NRL premierships by 2030.
Respected coaches across the game were stunned to see the Titans make such a bold declaration, considering the club has only won one finals match in its 15-year history.
But Meninga believes in having bold visions and said the pieces of the puzzle were coming together for the Titans.
“I’ve always believed in being bold about your future,” he said.
“You’ve got to have dreams and aspirations and the club has done that. We’ve got to strive and aspire to that.
“I’m comfortable with being bold and we’re very comfortable with telling people that’s where we’re heading. That helps the positive mindset around the club and those that support us.
“I’m really happy with the progress, things are going really well in my opinion. I’m very optimistic about the future at the club.
“Our depth in the roster is excellent and development programs are going really well. There is a lot of talent and players of great potential.
“We are in the growth period and will mature as a team and club. I’m really happy with the way we’ve turned things around in a short period of time.”
It wasn’t long ago that the Titans were a rabble, with the club claiming the 2019 wooden spoon after winning only four games that season.
The arrival of coach Justin Holbrook saw them climb to ninth in 2020 and the recruitment of Queensland Origin stars David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was followed by a finals berth last year, albeit with a 10-14 record.
The club has locked up some of its top talent for years to come, with captain Fa’asuamaleaui (2026), AJ Brimson (2026), Moeaki Fotuaika (2024), Jayden Campbell (2024) and Toby Sexton (2024) committed to the club.
The Titans have been relatively quiet in the recruitment market since, missing out on big-name targets like Brandon Smith and Dale Finucane, but Meninga said it hadn’t put a dent in their plans.
“We weren’t so much disappointed,” he said.
“We believed we were in with a chance which is encouraging for us that people of that ilk would consider us as a really strong option for them.
“We’re really happy Isaac Liu, Will Smith and Paul Turner have shown faith in the club. That gives us faith externally. People are thinking the club has got itself in a really strong position.
“As they say it’s recruitment and retention. My belief, and the club’s belief, is that you get your retention programs right and your key development programs to create pathways for your locals.
“They can go from juniors to the Titans’ top squad. That’s the way you build sustainability at the club.
“Our retention policy has been fantastic and our recruitment manager Ezra Howe has done a terrific job.”
The Titans have been gifted a dream 2022 draw by the NRL and will finalise their pre-season preparations in a trial against the Warriors at Redcliffe.
Holbrook knows the premiership targets will increase pressure on him to deliver but he is comfortable with how things are taking shape on the Gold Coast heading into his third season.
“When you come out and make statements it makes you vulnerable to everybody,” he said.
“To be honest, it probably does put more pressure on me. It’s easy for me to say it doesn’t, but that’s not the truth is it?
“There is more pressure but I think it’s good because everybody knows what we’re working towards.
“We’ve made a lot of good improvements right across our staff and players over the last two years and we want to keep getting better. That all goes towards winning a competition.
“I think it’s good to show our vision of where we want to get to. When you expect to get things then you expect to get them and it becomes normal. If you never talk about it then you never strive for it and don’t get there.
“I’m comfortable with where the club is going. It’s okay that they want to share it publicly. It shows our intentions and commitment to what we want to achieve.”
The Titans kick off their 2022 NRL premiership campaign against Parramatta at Commbank Stadium on March 13.
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