‘Send ‘em to the Gold Coast’: Mayor Tom Tate’s cheeky dig at Titans’ NRL rivals

Wins for the Suns and Titans has Gold Coast up and about – and firing a few digs at those who questioned their sporting futures. SUBSCRIBE TO READ MORE

THEY were labelled the no-hopers who might as well relocate to Tasmania, Brisbane or anywhere else.

Today, Gold Coast’s national sporting sides are flying high – and city bosses are even dishing out advice to struggling “little brother” the Brisbane Broncos.

The Suns’ and Titans’ big weekend wins have – at least for now – shut down critics who gave both clubs no chance of success in 2020.

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The Titans, who battered off talk of relocation earlier this year, on Saturday at Suncorp Stadium crushed the Broncos 30-12 to heap pressure on a club long self-proclaimed as the state’s most proud.

Keegan Hipgrave and Mitch Rein of the Titans celebrate victory. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The win jumped the Titans above the Broncos, who may be needing a new coach by the end of the week, on the NRL ladder.

The Suns doubled-down on the good Gold Coast weekend when they edged Fremantle 64-51 at Metricon Stadium, making it three wins on the bounce and surging to second on the AFL ladder. As pressure mounts on Broncos coach Anthony Seibold, Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate couldn’t resist a cheeky dig.

“For the Broncos, maybe a weekend away at the Gold Coast would do them the world of good – everyone’s welcome and we are definitely open for business,” he said.

Suns supporters during the Dockers win. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

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Titans chairman Dennis Watt, who previously served as chairman of the Broncos, supported the idea.

“I like the mayor’s approach. There’s certainly some great merit in that,” he said.

Suns chairman Tony Cochrane acknowledged those who as recently as two months ago were demanding the club be moved to Tasmania.

“It’s easy to be a critic. Everybody likes to be a critic, I’m well on the record as saying critics are like a---holes, everybody’s got one,” he said.

“That’s fine, they can say what they like, the best way we can respond is to just keep putting results on the board and keep moving forward as an exciting young football club who are playing a really exciting brand of footy.

“That’s the best part about everything at the moment, the footy we’re playing is so exciting to watch wherever you’re from.”

In a nice reversal of fortunes, even Titans workhorse Jai Arrow issued a helping hand to his former club Brisbane.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have this one (game) ticked on the calendar – it’s extra special to get a win over your ex club,” he said.

“They’re obviously going through a tough time but they’ve got to stick together.

“They have got to work on the little things and the hard things. I wouldn’t say they’re broken – they’re a talented team and they are only young.”