Gold Coast Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui looks ahead to what key recruits will bring
On the back of securing his second straight Paul Broughton Medal, Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has declared a pair of incoming recruits will pave the way for a turnaround come 2023.
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On the back of securing his second straight Paul Broughton Medal, Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has declared a pair of incoming recruits will pave the way for a turnaround come 2023.
The Queensland Maroons enforcer was tireless in his maiden campaign as captain of the club, amassing 146 running metres and 27 tackles a game even as his side slipped down the NRL ladder.
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The Gold Coast won three of their final four clashes to salvage some respite from their 13th placed finish, and Fa’asuamaleaui believes the arrival of premiership-winning duo Kieran Foran and Sam Verrills will help capitalise on that momentum.
Since the decision to allow halfback Jamal Fogarty to leave the Glitter Strip and give young guns Toby Sexton and AJ Brimson the chance to form a scrumbase partnership, the Titans recruitment philosophy had been questioned.
With no experienced campaigner in a spine which also featured rookie Jayden Campbell at fullback and typical lock Erin Clark at hooker, coach Justin Holbrook’s outfit struggled for cohesion and composure.
Aaron Booth, with just 10 first-grade games to his credit, was the only recognised number nine in the top squad, then suffered a gruesome leg injury to end his year and forced prop Sam McIntyre to assume the dummy-half duties.
Now with Sea Eagles veteran Foran and Roosters rake Verrills joining the ranks, Fa’asuamaleaui said two key pieces to their prospective finals comeback were in place.
“Obviously we need a hooker and it was unlucky Aaron Booth went down. He’s one of my close mates so to see him go down like that during the year was very disappointing,” he said.
“Verrills is a hooker and we had some props playing some hooker towards the back end there so he’s going to help us so much.
“Then on top of that Kieran Foran has played over 250 games, has won a championship, he’s been there done that in the game and he’s only going to better the club.
“It’s going to be exciting next year, we just have to keep working hard and make sure we get it right.”
Fa’asuamaleaui became the first player since Luke Bailey to win consecutive Titans player of the year honours, however for him the pinnacle of the year was the way his side finished.
Having lost 10 games straight from rounds 11-21, victories over the Knights and Sea Eagles instilled renewed belief in the playing group they were headed in the right direction.
Tanah Boyd’s golden point heroics against the Warriors to close out the campaign gave one final reason for the Titans faithful to celebrate, and Fa’asuamaleaui said that emotion is what would fuel the squad heading into the pre-season.
“It did mean a lot, the year wasn’t the way we wanted it and the last six games, obviously we didn’t win all of them but there was improvement,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“We were working so hard on new systems we brought into our club and normally that takes time in a pre-season.
“But we really knuckled down and made sure we finished the year strong so we didn’t finish on the bottom but to show the fans we really do want to get better.”
Two minutes for Sexton to shine as halfback battle looms
— August 22
There were no signs of a confidence hit in Toby Sexton when he lined up for his first Queensland Cup game of the season, and it took him just two minutes to prove he is up for the NRL level.
The 21-year-old has been out of the Titans side for the past three weeks and had been rested until his try-scoring return in the Tweed Seagulls 42-0 thumping of the Blackhawks.
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With Tanah Boyd assuming the number seven duties for the Gold Coast’s top side, helping orchestrate an end to their 10-game losing streak last week, coach Justin Holbrook confirmed the pair would enter the 2023 pre-season on a level playing field for the job at the scrumbase.
However from what Tweed coach Ben Woolf saw of Sexton at Piggabeen on the weekend, all it would take is greater exposure to that level of football to announce himself as a regular NRL maestro.
For a large chunk of the NRL season, Sexton sat atop of the competition for forced drop outs, however in a struggling outfit — one which came crashing back to earth in a 46-26 defeat to the Dragons — had carried an enormous burden of responsibility.
However on his comeback to the field he was first to score moments into Saturday’s contest, and from there Woolf said his commanding voice and composed kicking game was on show. On the back of that, Lindon McGrady’s shift to fullback proved a masterstroke to finish with is five try assists and four linebreak assists.
Woolf said while the scoreline perhaps clouded the occasional moments of disjoint in attack, all Sexton would need was continued exposure to elite level rugby league to inject some confidence back into him.
However he said there were no suggestions from the rookie halfback that he had suffered a mindset setback on the weekend, as he set about giving the Seagulls every chance of cracking the top four.
“Toby is a leader and he was that on the weekend. He was happy to jump in and get people where he needed to get them and he had a strong kicking game as well,” Woolf said.
“We were happy with what he did, he showed this year on numerous occasions he’s capable at the top level. It’s getting his confidence back, it was difficult on the weekend but he’s building along nicely and the Titans did a good job developing him.
“Once he gets a bit of confidence that’s key for him, it’s hard as halfback in a team not winning games and the pressure of being a young halfback with that responsibility on his shoulders is difficult.
“Once he freshened up he was ready to go and do a job. He knows our squad, he’s played plenty with us and come through our juniors so he’s comfortable in our group and there was no issue (with his confidence).”
Tweed’s emphatic victory sets up a tantalising finish for Woolf’s side, who in two weeks have gone from in danger of slipping out of finals contention to the verge of the top four.
With their final regular season fixture coming against a Brisbane Tigers outfit in need of a win to secure their own finals fate, Woolf said there could be no respite for his men as they seek to carry on a recent momentum surge.
The defeat of Townsville also marked Treymain Spry’s finest outing since returning from his injuries sustained after a horror attack in Brisbane, with the Titans rookie scoring two tries.
Woolf said while the flashy flyer had no yet reach top flight, he was set to peak at the perfect time on the eve of finals.
“He’s definitely heading back there, he’s still not at his best I don‘t think and he would know that as well,” he said.
“But Lindon and Toby gave good opportunities on the weekend for him and he iced them well which is what he does best. He’s improving week to week and getting better and better, so by the time we hit finals I think he’ll be firing.”
Inspired Brimson weighs in on future ahead of 2023 battle
— August 15
Fresh off emerging from his shootout with Kieran Foran on top, Titans star AJ Brimson insists where his future in the side lies is far from his mind.
Having orchestrated a breakthrough 44-24 triumph over Manly against the man gunning for his own number six jersey next season, Brimson sent a warning shot to the Kiwi international through his finest performance of 2022.
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The 23-year-old looked threatening with each touch of the Steeden, finishing Sunday’s clash with a try, a try assist, 121 running metres, eight tackle busts and two linebreaks as the Titans set about shutting Foran down, who was returning from a hamstring injury.
With the veteran Sea Eagle set to touch down on the Glitter Strip come the 2023 pre-season, questions have been raised over where Brimson fits into the top 17.
Despite rising to prominence as a fullback, so much so he garnered State of Origin selection for Queensland, Brimson was shifted to partner Toby Sexton in the halves while allowing Jayden Campbell to claim the number one jumper.
Foran’s experience will be a crucial addition come 2023, particularly for young halves Sexton and Tanah Boyd, and Brimson’s versatility and strength running the ball could trigger a shift to the outside backs.
But the man himself said he had faith that wherever coach Justin Holbrook saw his immediate future would be the best call for the team.
“I think he (Foran) is obviously a good player and we’re lucky to have him next year, so I was kind of hoping they were going to rest him with his hammy this week,” Brimson said.
“Obviously he’s a good player, he did a lot of video on him, so it’s a game we get to not do video on him next year being on our team.
“I’m pretty happy, I have my faith in Justin to pick the best 17 but at the moment that’s a next year worry.
“It’s a good worry where everyone is going to fit in, it means we have good depth there. But at the moment just enjoy the win and try to finish the last three games off with some wins, and then we’ll worry about positions and that sort of stuff next year.”
The Gold Coast’s win ended a 10-game losing streak and lifted them off the bottom of the NRL ladder, a task which was made more daunting by the loss of skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui as he awaited the birth of his second child.
In his absence, Brimson took on the captaincy duties, and his response earned him huge praise from Holbrook.
While the coach appreciated one win did not mask the poor season the club has endured, he said this victory needed to inspire a momentum surge heading into next year.
“The boys stepped up, and I thought AJ did a terrific job with everything — the way he spoke, the way he played and the way we stuck to the way we wanted to play, which was really important from our halves,” Holbrook said.
“It was terrific, I think he just looked dangerous every time he got the ball. It’s been a pretty tough year for him, but he’s getting himself up every week and he was terrific.
“I thought his running game as we all know is when he is at his best, and I thought him and Tanah looked lively which was great.
“We needed them against a really good opposition seven and six, we know how good they are, so I thought for AJ to step up and play the way he did deserves it and that’s why we won the game.
“I feel like the last three or four weeks we’ve been there abouts, but in certain areas we let ourselves down. But we got it right and now the boys know which is great, so we’ll do it again next week.”
Gold Coast rookie’s comeback to the top after horror attack
— August 8
Treymain Spry's quest back to the NRL following a horrific chapter in his life has taken its largest step, having made his Queensland Cup comeback for the Tweed Seagulls
The Gold Coast Titans rookie has been sidelined since March, after becoming the victim of a coward punch attack in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
Spry suffered from a fractured skull, broken eye socket and bleeding on his brain in the aftermath of the incident, which was reported at the time as being incited by the 22-year-old’s ex-girlfriend’s partner.
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Spry was cleared of any wrongdoing in the altercation, and has since been on the recovery trail in the hopes of picking up the Steeden once again.
The winger made a try-scoring appearance for the Helensvale Hornets last week, and was brought into the centres in Tweed’s 26-26 draw with cross-town rivals, the Burleigh Bears, on Sunday.
Seagulls coach Ben Woolf said while Spry perhaps did not get the chance to showcase his attacking prowess — limited to 59 running metres from seven carries — there were enough signs to suggest he would be quick to find his feet.
His said off the ball the talented flyer looked composed — making 12 tackles for two misses against the ladder leading Bears — and the more he grew accustom to the speed of elite football the more his abilities would be on show.
“It was great to get him on the field, he’s been through quite a bit. He was solid, he probably wasn’t at his best but that’s to be expected,” Woolf said.
“He did a good job in D (defence), he probably wasn’t at his normal self in attack but I think Burleigh did a good job on him.
“I think the more footy is the better for him, he’s been training and the class is still there. “He’s very dangerous with the ball in hand, once he gets used to being out there at that intensity (he will be strong) which hopefully will happen over the next couple of weeks.
“We (Tweed) only had him on Thursday, Friday and game day and he was positive, he seems really good and focused. I can’t comment too much on the previous stuff, but his mindset seems good — he’s mature and ready to go.”
Welcoming back the calvary has come at the perfect time for Woolf’s men, with their final three games of the season approaching must win territory.
Tweed currently cling to seventh spot, however clashes against the Northern Pride (eighth), Townsville Blackhawks (10th) and Brisbane Tigers (9th) will make each battle crucial.
Spry’s return almost coincides with fellow Titans rookie Joseph Vuna, who is expected to come back into the Seagulls fold this week against the Pride.
The powerful edge forward has not been sighted since September, having undergone a knee reconstruction, and Woolf confirmed he would likely be deployed through the middle in a bid to ease his workload and lateral movements.
“Joey is due probably this week or over the next couple of weeks, he’s been progressing well and did a session last week and looked good,’ Woolf said.
“The hard thing coming back at this time of year from long term injury is they don’t get the progressive (ease) back into rugby league. That’s the hard thing for someone like Joe or Treymain.
“He’ll come off the bench to start with, with limited minutes, until he gets more confidence in it (the knee) and we’ll slowly build him up.”
‘This is my home’: Titans star weighs in on shock Melbourne link
— July 29
Titans star Jayden Campbell has revealed while the idea of temporarily joining the Melbourne Storm titillated him for a split second, he was quick to shut down any further thought of linking with the powerhouse outfit.
Super coach Craig Bellamy’s men have endured a horror run of injuries in the last sprint to the finals, with the likes of fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and Queensland winger Xavier Coates all missing in action.
It led the 2020 NRL champions to approach clubs in search of players to fill the voids, eventually securing the services of Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma on a loan basis.
Campbell was another name reported as a man the Storm were on the hunt for, as he plotted his own comeback from a shoulder concern.
Despite Melbourne’s recent four-game losing streak, Campbell said there was a small moment where the thought of going through a finals campaign could have benefited him ahead of the Gold Coast’s 2023 pre-season.
Ultimately, however, the Helensvale junior said those flickering thoughts were short-lived as he sought to cement himself in the Titans’ number one jumper and work towards bouncing back from what has been a disastrous campaign for the club.
“I wanted to stay here, I never talked personally to Melbourne but I just said I want to stay here at the Titans,” Campbell said.
“I want to build something here — this is my home. I thought to myself it would be a good opportunity, but I want to do that here and not at another club. I just want to stay here.”
Campbell made his second return from the casualty ward last week in the Gold Coast’s loss to the Bulldogs, coming off the bench and declaring himself back to full fitness.
The 22-year-old added enough spark when he came on the field to give the Titans a sniff of a comeback, running for 86m from nine carries.
He has been named on the interchange once again for Saturday’s clash at home with Canberra, the same team he suffered a rib injury against in Round 3 which sidelined him for eight weeks.
In what was supposed to be the rising star’s first full campaign at the top level, Campbell has been limited to just eight appearances thus far, throwing coach Justin Holbrook’s plans of a Campbell, AJ Brimson and Toby Sexton spine out the window for much of 2022.
Campbell said there had been moments where he struggled as he spent more time patrolling the sidelines than he did on the field, especially given the club’s woes in winning just three games all year.
But he said he had no further concerns with his body, and while he was unsure whether Holbrook would parachute him into the starting side at the last minute he would be up for the rigours which came with the job.
“It’s been tough, this was supposed to be my first year in a full NRL season but I’ve been pretty unlucky with two injuries that have kept me out for a bit,” Campbell said.
“But hopefully I just keep getting games thrown at me and keep working on myself. I was a bit upset for the first two days (after the second injury) but I just couldn’t keep dwelling on it. “I just wanted to get my body right and sort of see it as an opportunity to get myself fitter, a bit more size in me and the key workings in my game.
“That’s how I took it in my stride and I didn’t let it bother me too much.”
Titans hunt for a key man is on; who is on the radar?
— July 25
In the aftermath of his side’s eighth straight defeat, Titans coach Justin Holbrook has confirmed the club will head to the NRL market in search of a new hooker.
As they suffered a 36-26 loss to the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon, the Gold Coast’s lack of experience in key positions was evident once again as they showed the flair to mount a counter-attack, but an inability to reign it in and build sustained pressure on their rivals.
Throughout what has transpired to be a dismal season for the Glitter Strip, rookie halfback Toby Sexton has had a plethora of responsibility thrust on his young shoulders and without a tried and tested campaigner to ease his burden in his first full year in the top level.
With Kiwi star Kieran Foran to join the Titans in 2023 Holbrook has his veteran five-eighth to partner Sexton with, but he admitted they would still seek to bolster their dummy-half stocks.
Erin Clark was initially given the job, however given he is better suited to lock the same game awareness brought to the ruck by the game’s leading hookers was missing.
Eight-game rookie Aaron Booth has taken the spot for the past two weeks, getting through plenty of defensive work (35 tackles a game) but offering little in attack at this stage (two runs for three metres collectively).
“There’s a lot of people in rugby league, I speak to a lot, and it’s pretty obvious we need an experienced half and that’s obvious for everyone, and an experienced hooker as well,” Holbrook said.
“We’ve got the makeup of a good side, these guys are trying so hard and we just need a bit more direction on the field.
“Then those periods we’re having that have cost us numerous times this year won’t happen. We won’t have 15 minute blocks here and there, we’ll have enough experience on the field.”
Holbrook said the club were in a strong position with their salary cap to make recruitment plays, however exactly who they will be able to entice to the Gold Coast remains unclear.
Among the NRL’s number nines off contract at season’s end, Brisbane Broncos rake Jake Turpin — who has been on the outer in 2022 in favour of Billy Walters and Cory Paix — headlines a small list.
Of the other hookers yet to ink a new deal, eight-game utility Jayden Nikorima and Manly’s Manase Fainu — who has been stood down under the NRL’s No-Fault Stand Down policy.
However from November 1, those coming off contract in 2023 will be free to negotiate, with Cowboys gun Reece Robson, New South Wales veteran Damien Cook and young Panthers dynamo Soni Luke all to be chasing new deals.
Outside of the club there has been speculation Holbrook is in a fight to save his job, but the man himself said he was confident he was still the mentor to turnaround the Titans’ fortunes. \
He said once they could inject some experience into the spine — experience they lost when Jamal Fogarty and Mitch Rein were not retained — the Gold Coast had the players throughout the rest of the team to be a competitive force.
“I don’t want to comment too much on recruitment — it’s an ongoing thing — but we do (have salary cap space). As a club we’re in a good position to look at those areas which we want to do,” Holbrook said.
“We’ve got plenty of guys like Tino (Fa’asuamaleaui) and Beau Fermor and AJ (Brimson) who are trying so hard and the young guys are trying hard, we’re just lacking a little bit out on the field.
“Once we do that we’re really confident as a club, and I’m confident as a coach, that once we get those key positions sorted then we’ll be fine.
“We’re obviously not happy with how many losses we’ve had, but as a club we’ve got a lot of inexperience in key positions and that’s been a tough learning curve for all of us.”
‘He’s the right man’: Huge call on Holbrook, Fogarty loss laid bare
— July 22, 2022
“He’s the right man.”
With that defiant appraisal, Titans halfback Toby Sexton threw his support behind coach Justin Holbrook, as the embattled club search for something to salvage from their season.
The Gold Coast’s clash with the Bulldogs on Sunday shapes as a battle for the side to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon.
Pressure has been on Holbrook and his squad throughout a seven-game losing streak, but
even with just three wins thus far club hierarchy have publicly backed the former St Helens mentor.
And now Sexton has voiced the faith of the playing group, adamant the coach had given his players the tools to succeed, they simply had not delivered as a collective.
“He’s unreal, he’s got that real care factor for this playing group and he gives us all the knowledge and equipment to be able to go out there and perform,” Sexton said.
“I think he’s a great coach and he’s definitely the coach moving forward. Us as players all back him and we think he’s the right man.
“I guess this whole club is under pressure with the situation we’re in at the moment. We just have to deal with it as best as we can and look after ourselves.
“The more we can focus on ourselves as individuals and try get ourselves right it’s going to help our performances.
“We’re still a young spine but I think it’s just a matter of building combinations now. We’ve got seven weeks left, and we can really finish the season off strong.”
There have been theories tossed up throughout the 2022 campaign in an attempt to figure out where the Titans have gone wrong, given they headed into the year optimistic on the back of a drought-breaking finals appearance.
Among those suggestions has been the decision to allow Jamal Fogarty to join the Canberra Raiders, even as the most experienced half at the club.
Where the Gold Coast were tipped to be one of the biggest improvers of the season, it has instead been their Queensland rivals — Brisbane and North Queensland — who have shocked the rugby league world with their rise back to prominence.
Both outfits recruited experienced, premiership-winning halfbacks in Adam Reynolds and Chad Townsend, partnered with developing prospects Ezra Mam and Tom Dearden to great effect.
For Dearden, his collaboration with Townsend has led to a titanic State of Origin debut for Queensland, while just eight games into his NRL career Mam has emerged as a star of the future playing off the back of Reynolds.
But Sexton, who with the enigmatic AJ Brimson next to him has taken over the lion’s share of the side’s organisation, said thoughts of the potential influence Fogarty could have had on him long-term had never been on his mind.
Instead, the self-confessed harsh personal critic said it was the things he could control that had been letting him down, however slowly but surely he was finding his feet in first-grade.
“To be honest I don’t read into it (the Fogarty talk) at all. He’s doing well at the Raiders and I’m really happy for him,” Sexton said.
“We’re a young side and these learning curves are going to come for us, it’s just a matter of staying confident and keep trusting the process.
“I feel like I’m in a good headspace at the moment, even though the results aren’t going our way you just have to stay confident.
“I’m a pretty tough judge on myself to be honest, and I’ve had probably too many games where I haven’t been up to standard. But I guess that’s just part of being in the NRL; it’s the toughest learning arena you can play in.
“At times I’ve been sitting in behind the play trying to catch up on games where I haven’t been performing well. But I feel like lately I’ve been getting my hands on the ball a lot more and it’s definitely helping me.”
The Titans and Bulldogs will kick off from 2pm on Sunday.
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