Five off-contract NRL players Gold Coast Titans should target upon appointing new head coach

The next key part of the Titans’ puzzle is rejigging their roster, and while we wait for Justin Holbrook to be confirmed as Garth Brennan’s successor, the Bulletin has been scouring the player market.

THE next key part of the Titans’ puzzle is rejigging their roster, and while we wait for Justin Holbrook to be confirmed as Garth Brennan’s successor, the Bulletin has been scouring the player market.

Gold Coast have little short-term roster flexibility with basically all of their well-paid players under contract for next year.

Nonetheless, we have highlighted five off-contract players at various stages of their NRL careers who could be options for the Titans in 2020.

JORDAN RAPANA

Current club: Canberra

Age: 29

Position: Wing

NRL games: 110

There are so many reasons why this could work.

Rapana is a freakish talent and would give the Titans both a try-scoring weapon and a player who can provide big running metres at the start of sets.

Jordan Rapana runs the ball against St George Illawarra. Picture: Getty Images

His value is probably not an all-time high – 2019 has been relatively quiet by his lofty standards, and the Green Machine are facing salary cap pressures, although they have recently said they are confident of squeezing him in for next year. In fairness, the Titans would probably have to move some players on to fit him into their own roster.

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Importantly, he fits in with the Gold Coast-centric recruitment strategy as a Tugun Seahawks junior who still has family up this way, including sister Tazmin Gray, a representative women’s league star who plays for the Burleigh Bears.

ALEX GLENN

Current club: Brisbane

Age: 30 (turns 31 on Wednesday)

Position: Second-row

NRL games: 254

Another New Zealand international who is off-contract and unlike Rapana, Glenn appears a real chance of finding himself in Titans colours next year.

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The Broncos veteran actually lives on the Gold Coast and is a solid player and respected leader.

Alex Glenn. Picture: AAP Image

He has publicly declared he could help the Titans rebuild if he can’t sort a new deal with Brisbane.

“The person I am, I have strong values on respect, honesty and hard work. I think I could add to a team like that,” he told News Corp.

JACOB LIDDLE

Current club: Wests Tigers

Age: 22

Position: Hooker

NRL games: 37

Maybe a little left field but Liddle has shown glimpses of his talent between being stuck behind Robbie Farah at the Tigers.

Jacob Liddle. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Given that neither Nathan Peats nor Mitch Rein have really set the world on fire for Gold Coast, this could be a move aimed at setting up for the future and grooming Liddle as the club’s long-term No.9.

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JAI FIELD

Current club: St George Illawarra

Age: 21

Position: Five-eighth/fullback

NRL games: 11

Jai Field. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Like Liddle, Field is a talented youngster who is yet to receive many opportunities and probably would come at reasonable value.

Field is highly regarded and could join AJ Brimson as part of the club’s long-term playmaking spine alongside either Ash Taylor or Tyrone Roberts, and could even play a valuable bench role in the interim.

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KURT CAPEWELL

Current club: Cronulla

Age: 26

Position: Second-row

NRL games: 57

Capewell has established himself in the NRL these past few years and has been linked on multiple occasions to a move back to Queensland (he hails from Charleville).

His older brother Luke has already played for the Titans back in 2011 and there is a definite sense that a deal to bring Kurt here could benefit both parties.

Kurt Capewell is tackled by Warriors props Agnatius Paasi and Leeson Ah Mau. Picture: Getty Images

When at full strength, Capewell is stuck behind Wade Graham and Briton Nikora in the second-row pecking order and the Sharks also have the likes of Scott Sorensen as alternative cover.

With a potentially clean sheet on offer at the Titans, a frontline opportunity beckons.

From a Titans perspective, they have every reason to believe Capewell won’t become the latest recruit to fail to live up to expectations given that he is knocking on the door of an Origin call-up and is determined to get himself over the line.