Gold Coast Titans coach Garth Brennan speaks about Tanah Boyd’s signing, when he could debut

Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan is “not afraid” to blood halfback recruit Tanah Boyd in the not too distant future but he insists he will not rush him before he’s ready.

GOLD Coast coach Garth Brennan is “not afraid” to blood halfback recruit Tanah Boyd in the not too distant future but he insists he will not rush him before he’s ready.

Boyd, a highly rated 18-year-old, was unveiled as a mid-season signing from the Broncos on Wednesday.

His recruitment comes at a time when marquee playmaker Ash Taylor is taking a break from football to deal with personal matters, with no clear timeline set for his return.

However, Brennan will look to nurture Keebra Park product Boyd into Titans colours – following time in the Intrust Super Cup with Tweed – as he bids to see him become the latest homegrown revelation.

Tanah Boyd has joined from the Broncos. Picture: Getty Images

“We’ve had some joy with some of the people that have moved away from the Gold Coast and come back and hopefully he can develop into a really quality NRL player, which I’m sure he can,” Brennan said.

“Hopefully he can replicate some of the other guys – the Jai Whitbreads, the Jai Arrows, the Jarrod Wallaces and Keegan Hipgraves and other ones – that have come back and really flourished here at the Gold Coast.

Tanah Boyd with Titans head of performance and culture Mal Meninga.

“I’ve said all along that when players make their debut in front of their family and their friends and the guys they went to school with, it means more than if they make their debut somewhere else.

“A lot of hard work has got to go into Tanah yet but he is very focused and very determined and a very confident young man so I’m very excited that he has come onboard.”

As for when he could make his NRL debut?

“When the time comes, when he’s (been) here for a while and gets in our systems and trains hard and works really hard on his game, then I’m not afraid to give young guys their opportunities but they need to be ready and we’re not rushing him, that’s for sure,” Brennan said.

Garth Brennan. Picture: Gold Coast Titans

Boyd joined the Titans for their captain’s run training session at Cbus Super Stadium on Thursday ahead of Friday night’s Round 14 home clash with the Warriors.

Speculation has swirled around the future of Tyrone Peachey but Brennan confirmed the 27-year-old will line up in the 6pm kick-off in what will be his first second-row start in more than two years.

Tyrone Peachey. Picture: Getty Images

“Tyrone and I will focus on the footy things and we’ll leave the rest of the stuff to Mal (Meninga, Titans head of performance and culture) and his (Peachey’s) management to deal with behind the scenes,” he said.

“Tyrone will play … he’s a Titan at the moment and that’s what we’re focusing on.”