Titans sign deal with the Country Rugby League to stretch their official catchment area into northern NSW

GOLD Coast insist they are not surrendering southeast Queensland to the Broncos after the club signed a deal to stretch their official catchment area into northern NSW.

Anthony Don is one from south of the border. (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

THE Titans insist they are not surrendering southeast Queensland to the Broncos after launching a poaching raid on the best junior talent in northern NSW.

On Tuesday the Titans signed a four-year agreement with the Country Rugby League to stretch the club’s official catchment area south to Coffs Harbour.

The deal will see representative teams in the area sport Titans colours and the Gold Coast NRL club increase its recruitment and development programs in the region.

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Gold Coast needs more Jarrod Wallaces. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

The Titans have played second-fiddle to the cashed-up Brisbane Broncos in the pursuit of emerging Queensland talent since the Gold Coast club entered the NRL in 2007.

The likes of Broncos young guns Payne Haas and David Fifita were nurtured in the area while the Titans have signed Gold Coast products Jarrod Wallace, Jai Arrow and Keegan Hipgrave from Brisbane in recent years.

The Broncos boast the biggest development and recruitment program of the three Queensland NRL clubs, but Titans CEO Graham Annesley insisted the Gold Coast was not surrendering the region to Brisbane.

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“Absolutely not, our area extends right across south east Queensland and also into northern NSW,” he said.

“Just because there is a state border it doesn’t mean rugby league stops when you get to the Tweed River.

“We are a Queensland club but we have always extended into the Northern Rivers of NSW.

“When you look at the number of players that play on the Gold Coast and northern NSW, it’s right up there with the biggest clubs in Sydney like Parramatta and Penrith.

Anthony Don is one from south of the border. (Jono Searle/Getty Images)

“It’s always been a huge catchment. A lot of our players have come from that area. It’s literally on our doorstep.

“Just because there’s a state border on the Tweed River that doesn’t mean that’s not an area where kids can grow up and hope to play for the Titans one day.

“It’s an area that has a rich history of producing first grade players.

“This partnership is two-way. It’s to help the local area develop players and ultimately some of them come through and play for us.”

The Titans boast a number of northern NSW products on their books including Michael Gordon (Tweed), Will Matthews (Kyogle), Anthony Don (Grafton) and captain Ryan James (Bilambil).

Don, a late-bloomer who did not make his NRL debut until 25, is now on the verge of becoming the Titans’ all-time leading tryscorer.

He said the deal could help promising young players remain close to home as they chased their NRL dream.

“Hopefully every kid from the Northern Rivers that’s going to go to an NRL club will go to the Titans as their first stop,” he said.

“It’s a great opportunity for the Titans to get the first pick of the best talent from the area.

“The kids won’t have to move to Sydney or too far away from home to take the next step in their rugby league development.”

Don is equal with David Mead on 67 tries and will have an opportunity to go past him when the Titans host Melbourne at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday.

Titans coach Garth Brennan has relegated Bryce Cartwright to 18th man after his brief return to the NRL in last week’s win over Manly.

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