Gold Coast Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell’s century-old links to rugby league in the city

Steve Mitchell has Gold Coast rugby league in his blood.

STEVE Mitchell has Gold Coast rugby league in his blood.

The new Titans boss revealed on Wednesday the remarkable links his family have to footy in the city, dating back to the 1920s.

“My great grandfather’s family were in Currumbin. They were dairy farmers and my family started the first (league) competitions that were here,” he said.

Almost a century on, the 49-year-old father-of-three is now at the helm of the Coast’s NRL outfit.

TITANS CEO’S CHIEF FOCUS

Mitchell himself played the game in his younger years and his son Anthony was an NRL hooker for Parramatta, Sydney and North Queensland before retiring last year.

His background includes central roles at media organisations Southern Cross Austereo, Seven Network, News Corporation and Network Ten plus professional sports clubs Melbourne Rebels and the North Queensland Cowboys.

New Titans CEO Steve Mitchell. Picture: Glenn Hampson

During his six years in Townsville as commercial general manager, the club rose from the doldrums to win their maiden premiership in 2015.

He joins the Titans from his role as Touch Football Australia chief executive, based at the NRL’s headquarters in Sydney.

Brisbane-born, Mitchell will fly in and out of the Coast until his start date in early February and hopes to find a property while in town over the holiday period.

“I’m a Queenslander. It’s great to be home,” he beamed.

Mitchell acknowledged the switch from fringe sport touch football to being the head of an NRL club would thrust him far more into the spotlight but he feels he is ready to embrace this dream role – especially on the back of a “really good apprenticeship” at the Cowboys.

One of the first steps he will take is to embrace the community.

“My kids came through junior participation, grew up on junior fields. I can’t wait to get to the local community, to the Burleigh Bears, get down to Tweed,” he said.