Sport Confidential: Titans’ sponsor drama and why Panthers young gun stayed for less

SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Gold Coast’s major sponsor could be about to walk away, while a Maroon has a social media crack at Mitchell Pearce.

Steam rises from Nathan Peats of the Titans during the NRL round 16 game between the Wests Tigers and the Gold Coast Titans at Campbelltown Stadium. pic Mark Evans

THE major sponsor of the Gold Coast Titans could be about to walk from a deal that is not due to expire until 2021.

Aquis will be impossible to miss on the front of the Titans jersey on Friday night as the club chases a third straight victory against St George Illawarra before they head into the bye round.

They have been on board with the club for just over two years.

Sports Confidential understands the deal with Aquis, a Hong Kong-based investment company who have splurged plenty of cash on the holiday strip, including the Gold Coast Turf Club and Nathan Tinkler’s former stud Patinack Farm, is worth more than $1 million a season.

Sponsors are worth their weight in gold in the current climate.

Just ask Parramatta who have gone without a major backer all season.

In the same week there was debate about the merits of cutting the Sydney teams from nine to eight and starting a second team in Brisbane, news of the potential Titans-Aquis split suggests the economy is no stronger up north.

MORE SPORTS CON: NRL forced to apologise for “spoon battle”

Titans boss Graham Annesley has worked wonders since arriving at the club, including helping land the prized scalp of Jarryd Hayne.

He also remains hopeful of retaining Blues hooker Nathan Peats.

As for the current position with their naming rights sponsor, Annesley told us: “Aquis have been a great partner for the Titans, we’re currently in discussions regarding next year, and once we know the outcome of those discussions, we’ll happily confirm the outcome.’’

SHARKS ARE HEAVY ON THE BASS

STILL on sponsorships, premiers Cronulla have thrashed out a new commercial arrangement with premium audiovisual brand Bang & Olufsen.

Bang & Olufsen, which was founded by two Danish engineers in 1925, will be spotted across the back of the Sharks jersey for the first time Saturday afternoon when the club take on the Sydney Roosters.

The Sharks have a new commercial arrangement with Bang and Olufsen.

In a huge boost for the Sharkies, the latest sponsorship runs through to the end of the 2019 season.

Valentine Holmes wasted no time getting his hands on some state-of-the-art headphones. The fullback has been giving Drake, A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar a big spin of late.

We’re tipping coach Flanno is more of a Neil Diamond fan.

PANTHER CHN NEARLY TOOK FLIGHT

COREY Harawira-Naera has revealed how he met with Manly coach Trent Barrett and Wests Tigers counterpart Ivan Cleary before he took unders to stay at Penrith for a further three seasons.

Not only did Harawira-Naera want to repay the faith shown in him by Phil Gould, the Kiwi backrower also made it clear he was desperate to play an NRL game alongside his good mate James Fisher-Harris.

The New Zealand “hyphenators” were plucked from the north island at the end of 2013 and brought to the foot of the mountains.

Ironically, had Fisher-Harris not struggled with injury this season, Harawira-Naera would have been stuck in the NSW Cup and giving thought to linking with Manly or the Tigers.

He quipped that if Gus had never reached out all those years ago, he would have been back home working as a welder.

“Around the time I debuted I started talking to other clubs and met with Trent and Ivan once,’’ CHN told us.

Corey Harawira-Naera on the charge for the Panthers.

“They were both really good options, but it was always going to be hard to leave here, and I was relieved I didn’t have to.

“The opportunity for me and ‘Fish’ to come here and give it a crack, if it wasn’t for Gus it would never have happened.

“I’ve now got itchy feet about playing with Fish.

“Both of us have been waiting for the chance. We were both named in the Warriors game earlier this season, but he came off as I went on. We weren’t on the field at the same time.

“The funny thing is we might get to play together in that Warriors game in a couple of weeks (round 19) back in New Zealand, which would be cool in front of our family and friends.’’

A jaw injury to Jayden Brailey has boosted the hopes of Harawira-Naera taking out the rookie of the year gong.

Harawira-Naera thought Angus Crichton was a shoo-in, but the South Sydney star is ineligible because he played eight games last season.

BLUE WIGGLE GOES DOWN

BLUE Wiggle Anthony Field felt a little dejected when comparing rotator cuff injuries with Johnathan Thurston last Sunday.

JT rolled up to The Wiggles show in Townsville, and had the chance to chat with Field about his season-ending injury.

Field told us he had to undergo surgery to his shoulder after he was riding his bike through Pyrmont at the start of last month and ploughed into a runaway shopping trolley.

“We had a great laugh about the old rotator cuff,’’ Field told us.

“I made my return to The Wiggles when JT was there.

Anthony Field suffered the same shoulder injury as Johnathan Thurston.

“I said to him I feel shame because he played Origin with half a shoulder, and I was at home missing Wiggles shows.

“That guy is a machine.

“He’s one of the few players nobody begrudges. You have to respect him. Do you know anyone who doesn’t think the world of him, even though he basically killed our (NSW) team with half a shoulder?’’

Field, a passionate Wests Tigers fans, said this season was a ‘’disaster’’, but like most fans was excited about the club’s signings for 2018.

“I’m on the bus,’’ Field said.

The Blue Wiggle will resume life on the road with The Wiggles next week in Cane Toads territory.

MATT HOPES TO REMAIN MODEL PERFORMER

NOW he’s retired, Matt Ballin hopes he can still pop up on the occasional Lowes ad.

“I haven’t done one in a while now because I hadn’t been playing much, but hopefully I can still be an ambassador for Lowes, they’re a great brand and great for the battler,’’ Ballin said.

He did not hesitate when we asked him about the toughest bloke he came up against during his 220 NRL game career.

“Petero Civoniceva,” he said. “When you tackled him, you felt like your shoulder broke in half and you were tackling rock.’’

Ballin announced his retirement during the week.

SUPERMAN HITS 150 AT LAST

THE South Sydney digital team were able to put the feet up for a bit this week after Dave Tyrrell was finally confirmed to play his 150th game.

Bunnies officials had compiled a special tribute for the front-rower after round one, but have waited forever for coach Michael Maguire to give Tyrrell another game.

The video tribute will be played at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

JT UPSTAGES COACH GRIFFIN

PANTHERS coach Anthony Griffin was scratching his head when not a single journalist turned up for his weekly pre-match interview in Townsville last Friday.

It turns out Griffin’s chat for 11.30am was the exact time Johnathan Thurston was on the other side of town confirming he was out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary also had not one scribe roll up to his early-morning press conference last Thursday, fewer than 12 hours after Origin II.

MAROONS GO DEEP ON SOCIAL

IT’S the subtle social media sledge which promises to light the fuse for another epic State of Origin showdown — with Mitchell Pearce once again in the sights of a cocky Maroons side.

First it was Johnathan Thurston telling Pearce he should get a photo with the Wally Lewis statue because it would be the closest he would get to holding the Origin shield.

Now Maroons centre Will Chambers has enjoyed a slight dig at Pearce.

Chambers “liked” a tweet which took aim at Pearce after the Roosters halfback led his side to a golden point victory against the Storm on Saturday night.

The tweet which Chambers liked read “no Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk or Will Chambers, (Pearce) could only manage a one-point win, nothing special.”

Will Chambers and Mitchell Pearce. Picture: Gregg Porteous

It was in reply to a match report post which was; “Mitchell Pearce has helped erase State of Origin demons by nailing a 35-metre field goal”.

This follows Andrew Fifita’s comments that he was mercilessly sledged by the Maroons — believed to be Josh McGuire — after full-time during the Maroons game II win.

SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS FOR MAROONED REYNOLDS

JUST 12 months ago Adam Reynolds was lining up for NSW.

This year he watched the second Origin game deep in Maroons territory, after skipping the state to holiday in Port Douglas during the Rabbitohs’ bye period.

“I watched the game up north,” Reynolds said.

“I watched it in enemy territory but I stayed in my hotel room so it wasn’t too bad.

“It was a great game of footy and the halves controlled the game well. Shame to see the series go to a third game.”

Reynolds made his Origin debut last season.

Reynolds’ patchy club form saw him lose his grip on the NSW No. 7 jersey to Mitchell Pearce. He made his long-awaited Origin debut last year playing in the first two games before injury rubbed him out of the third.

“It only seemed like yesterday,” Reynolds said of making his Origin debut.

“I loved being part of it and hopefully in the future I’ll be part of it again.

“I can’t worry about it now. The team that’s been picked has done a great job.

“I’m not being biased but I thought they should’ve won game two. They’ll learn a lot and I’ m fully behind them and backing them for game three.”

BARBA STAYS ON SIDELINES

BEN Barba will have to serve out his 12-game drug ban in the English Super League after failing to have the suspension overturned.

The Rugby Football League decided to honour the ban despite an appeal from his new side club St Helens.

Barba has already sat out five games.

Vatuvei has struggled to crack first grade this season.

COULD THE BEAST BE GONE?

COULD Warriors favourite Manu Vatuvei have played his final game in the NRL?

It is no secret he is on the outer at the Warriors having not played in the top grade since round three.

English Super League club Salford are circling after they missed out on signing Shaun Kenny-Dowall, with a push to have Vatuvei in England this season.