Titans coach Justin Holbrook will not turn his back on Gold Coast’s axed stars

Despite landing their first win in almost a year without them, Titans coach Justin Holbrook will not turn his back on the club’s dumped stars.

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Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook insists the club’s axed superstars still have a future at the Titans.

Holbrook has retained the same 17 that recorded a drought-breaking win against Wests Tigers for Saturday’s showdown with South Sydney.

After three losses to start the season, Holbrook wielded the selection axe on some of the club’s biggest names, dropping ex-Origin stars Jarrod Wallace and Nathan Peats, along with former Kangaroos prop Shannon Boyd.

The shake-up paid dividends, with the Titans recording their first win in 364 days in a gripping 28-23 thriller at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday night.

The Titans have $3 million of their salary cap on the sidelines, with hooker Mitch Rein also dropped and regular starters Ryan James (knee) and AJ Brimson (back) fighting long-term injuries.

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Former Origin prop Wallace was dropped. AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

Wallace has been named 18th man for the Rabbitohs game at Bankwest Stadium and Holbrook said the out-of-favour players could still contribute in 2020.

“I haven’t been unhappy with anyone’s attitude or effort,” he said.

“I thought we played really dumb the first couple of games and gave away too much ball to the opposition.

“With the one ref, quicker ruck and six-again rule, I had to go with more mobility.

“It wasn’t about looking for a change in attitude – I’ve been really happy with everyone’s attitude.

“But our performances weren’t good enough. It was as simple as that.

“There’s not much at all between (hookers) Peatsy, Mitch Rein and Erin Clark.

“For Wal and Boydy it is about getting them up to speed with the game now. Wal seems to be over his back injury and Boydy needs to get more training in.

“I’ve got no issue playing them in the future.”

The Titans received some good news after lock Jai Arrow was cleared of serious damage to his ribs and will be fit to face the Rabbitohs.

Fotuaika has become Gold Coast’s top prop. Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images.

Arrow (140m and 26 tackles) and young prop Moeaki Fotuaika (209m and 29 tackles) were sensational in the Tigers game, setting the bar for what the Titans’ middle forwards should be producing.

Arrow said he expected Wallace, a six-game Queensland Origin representative, to fight his way back into the NRL.

“He’s been great – he has come into training and trained hard,” Arrow said.

“He is fighting to get back into the team and is one of our more experienced middle players.

“He can mentor the younger crop coming through and I have no doubts J-Wal will find himself back in the team soon.

“He is a pretty stubborn bloke and will do everything he can to get back into the team.”

FULL TEAM

1. Phillip Sami, 2. Anthony Don, 3. Dale Copley, 4. Young Tonumaipea, 5. Brian Kelly, 6. Ashley Taylor, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Moeaki Fotuaika, 9. Erin Clark, 10. Sam Lisone, 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Bryce Cartwright, 13. Jai Arrow

Interchange: 14. Tanah Boyd, 15. Keegan Hipgrave, 16. Jaimin Jolliffe, 17. Tyrone Peachey

Reserves: 18. Jarrod Wallace, 19. Jai Whitbread, 20. Beau Fermor, 21. Tyrone Roberts

COWBOYS WILL UNLEASH LEAGUE’S FASTEST MAN

The Cowboys will blood the fastest man in rugby league when Nines sensation Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is unleashed against the Warriors.

North Queensland coach Paul Green will hand Tabuai-Fidow his NRL debut against New Zealand at the Central Coast on Friday night.

“Hammer Time” shot to fame at the Perth Nines in February, with his blistering speed and try-scoring nous helping the Cowboys clinch a second Nines title.

At 19, Green has trod cautiously with Tabuai-Fidow, but believes the time is right to give the Cairns product a crack at the big league.

“Part of giving him a run in the Nines was to see how he’d go in that company,” Green said.

“He’s still developing. We would have liked to have given him a run earlier but he had a couple of injuries.

Tabuai-Fidow starred at the NRL Nines. Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images.

“He’s done everything asked of him. He’s been training really well.

“You’ve got to give those kids a chance at some stage. I’m confident he can do a good job for us.

“One of the reasons the club came in was to give a pathway for talented north Queensland kids.

“It’s a good story for us and Hamiso. Let’s hope it’s a good night for him.”

The Cowboys poached “Hammer” from the Queensland Reds after spotting him playing schoolboys rugby for Brisbane Grammar.

The NRL has some genuine speedsters like Josh “The Fox” Addo-Carr and James “The Jet” Roberts, but Tabuai-Fidow could be the fastest of them all.

“He is quick. He’s up there,” Green said.

“He one of those guys who only runs as fast as he has to.

“I played a lot of footy with David Peachey and he was similar. He would always stay a metre or two ahead of whoever was chasing him.

Could Tabuai-Fidow be the NRL’s fastest man? Picture by Alix Sweeney.

“Sometimes you’re not sure exactly how quick those guys are because they only ever run as fast as they have to.”

Green has shaken up his team after last Saturday’s disappointing 26-16 loss to Cronulla.

Tabuai-Fidow will replace Ben Hampton on the wing while hooker Jake Granville has been dropped, with Reece Robson promoted to the starting side and Reuben Cotter on to the bench.

Backrower Coen Hess will return from an ankle injury, but star lock Jason Taumalolo is racing the clock to overcome a knee problem in time to face the Warriors.

“He trained today and will again on Thursday but he hasn’t done a lot of full contact training,” Green said of Taumalolo.

“We’ll see how he gets through those sessions. We’re not going to take any unnecessary risks with him.”

FULL TEAM

1. Valentine Holmes, 2. Kyle Feldt, 3. Justin O’Neill, 4. Esan Marsters, 5. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 6. Scott Drinkwater, 7. Jake Clifford, 8. Francis Molo, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Jordan McLean (C), 11. Mitch Dunn, 12. Coen Hess, 13. Josh McGuire

Interchange: 14. Reuben Cotter, 15. Tom Gilbert, 16. Shane Wright, 17. Gavin Cooper

Reserves: 18. Corey Jensen, 19. Peter Hola, 20. Jason Taumalolo, 21. Tom Opacic