Hooker Mitch Rein taking nothing for granted in battle with Nathan Peats, despite being named Titans NRL Nines captain
Reliable hooker Mitch Rein is taking nothing for granted in his ongoing battle with Nathan Peats for the Titans’ no.9, despite being named captain for this weekend's NRL Nines.
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GOLD Coast NRL Nines captain Mitch Rein is taking nothing for granted in his ongoing battle with Nathan Peats for the Titans’ no.9, insisting his elevation to the top leadership position will count for little come Round 1.
The only specialist hooker named in the Titans’ Nines squad on Monday, Rein was today unveiled as skipper for the two-day tournament in Perth this weekend.
His two seasons on the Gold Coast have featured an intriguing head-to-head with Peats to be the club’s first-choice dummy half and the 29-year-old said he was expecting a similar fight in 2020, despite his captaincy call-up.
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“This is the Nines so it’s a completely different tournament for us and for every other side. It’s a completely different game to 13-a-side so you can’t really take too much out of it,” Rein said.
“(Peats and I) are just training away at the moment and trying to put our best foot forward. We’re both getting time in there (at dummy half) so we’ll just see how we go.
“When it gets to Round 1 or throughout the year you never know what’s going to happen so I’m just doing everything I can to give myself that chance. I’m looking forward to (the Nines), it should be good.
“I played the first year (with the Dragons in 2015) so it was a while ago now. It’s definitely a different style of footy with a bit more space and it favours the speed guys.
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“We’ve had a few (training) sessions and it’s been going good. It is a bit of fun but everyone goes over to do their best and have a crack and we’ll be no different.”
A nine-season, 180-game NRL veteran across stints at St George-Illawarra, Penrith and Gold Coast, Rein is the second-most experienced player in the Titans’ 18-man Nines squad, behind only returning retiree Michael Gordon (261 games).
He will line up alongside six players - Jonus Pearson, Jaimin Joliffe, Greg Leleisiuao, Treymain Spry, Erin Clark and Darius Farmer - who are yet to wear Titans colours and said it would be a special moment in his career.
“It’s going to be the first time a few of those guys have pulled on the jersey and it’s something they’re really excited about so to share that moment with them will be good,” he said.
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“It’s just going to be good getting out there (for the) first hitout of the year, especially with all the young guys. All the guys are really looking forward to it.”
The Titans yesterday announced emoney as a major sponsorship partner for 2020, with players to wear shorts featuring the logo of the national non-bank lender for the first time at this weekend’s Nines.
TITANS NINES SQUAD
1. AJ Brimson
2. Anthony Don
3. Tyrone Peachey
4. Jonus Pearson
5. Phil Sami
6. Tanah Boyd
7. Ash Taylor
8. Jai Whitbread
9. Mitch Rein (c)
10. Sam Stone
11. Bryce Cartwright
12. Jaimin Joliffe
13. Jai Arrow
14. Greg Leleisiuao
15. Treymain Spry
16. Erin Clark
17. Darius Farmer
18. Michael Gordon
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