Success at the Titans rests on new signings after mass player exodus

MATTHEW JOHNS SCOUTING REPORT: The Titans have had a wretched last few years, and go into this season with a very skinny roster. They have lost so many key individuals.

THE Titans have had a wretched last few years, and go into this season with a very skinny roster.

They have lost so many key individuals. Nate Myles was a tremendous forward leader but kits up for Manly, their main strike weapon James Roberts has left for the Broncos due to an embarrassing contractual controversy, while talented playmaker Aidan Sezer is now at the Raiders.

Dave Taylor is no longer at the Titans, but his loss won’t be felt. Taylor, a player of enormous potential, was always part of the problem at the Gold Coast. “Big” Dave was never a “big” contributor. Half a dozen decent games a year was about his quota.

Can the Gold Coast string some success together.

The season-ending knee injury to halfback Kane Elgey in the first pre-season training session was a devastating blow. Elgey has the talent to be a real star in the NRL, a pure halfback, and there’s not a lot of them coming through.

So that has put huge responsibility on the two new signings, Tyrone Roberts and Ashley Taylor. Taylor is a very good young half from the Broncos. He’ll have some
good moments but is still a couple of years away from being the player the Titans hope he can be.

Roberts has real talent but over the last 18 months his confidence evaporated at the Knights — and he wasn’t on his own there. I’ve got a feeling Roberts will enjoy a revival at the Gold Coast.

David Shillington will give the Titans plenty of punch and experience up front, and they dearly need him to stay fit and on the field.

I like the return of Nathan Friend to the Gold Coast. He’s a tremendous competitor, is very experienced and will be the ideal mentor for young dummy-half Kierran Moseley, who, like Elgey and Ash Taylor, will be crucial for the Titans into the future.

Tyrone Roberts of the Titans fends off Mitch Rein during the Auckland Nines.

BEST 13

1 Josh Hoffman 2 David Mead 3 Will Zillman 4 Nene Macdonald 5 Anthony Don 6 Ashley Taylor 7 Tyrone Roberts 8 Luke Douglas 9 Nathan Friend 10 David Shillington 11 Ryan James 12 Chris McQueen 13 Greg Bird.

Interchange: 14 Eddy Pettybourne 15 Lachlan Burr 16 Agnatius Passi 17 Zeb Taia

INS

David Shillington (Canberra Raiders), Nathan Friend (New Zealand Warriors), Zeb Taia (Catalan Dragons), Ashley Taylor (Brisbane Broncos), Tyrone Roberts (Newcastle Knights), Sami Sauiluma (Cronulla Sharks — train and trial), Leivaha Pulu (Wyong Kangaroos), Chris McQueen (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Cameron Cullen (Burleigh Bears)

OUTS

James Roberts (Broncos), Beau Falloon (Leeds Rhinos), Nate Myles (Manly Sea Eagles), Aidan Sezer (Canberra Raiders), Dave Taylor (Catalan Dragons), Shaun Hudson (North Queensland Cowboys), Ben Ridge (retirement), Matthew White (Melbourne Storm), Brad Tighe (retirement), Kalifa Faifai Loa (St George Illawarra Dragons), Chad Redman (Released), Caleb Binge (Released), Kevin Gordon (Retired), Caleb Binge (released), Christian Hazard (Redcliffe), David Crampton (Redcliffe), Jamie Dowling (Burleigh)

DRAW

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