The battle for top 17 spots for Gold Coast Titans fans to keep an eye on for the 2019 NRL season
THE Gold Coast Titans’ NRL squad for the 2019 season has largely taken shape and if players can stay fit and healthy, coach Garth Brennan will have a stack of welcome selection dilemmas on his hands.
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THE Gold Coast Titans’ NRL squad for the 2019 season has largely taken shape and if players can stay fit and healthy, coach Garth Brennan will have a stack of welcome selection dilemmas on his hands.
The Bulletin looks at five juicy battles for spots to keep an eye on.
The Titans still have two contracts available in their top 30, with a second-rower – possibly Alex Glenn – and an outside back thought to be leading priorities.
Michael Gordon v AJ Brimson (fullback)
This is a showdown of the old dog and the young pup.
A veteran of 245 NRL games and one State of Origin, Gordon brought a mixture of calmness, experience, professionalism and accurate goal-kicking in his first season in the Gold Coast No.1 jersey.
However, at 35 years of age, his best days are likely behind him and whether he can provide the same zip as 20-year-old Brimson is up for debate.
Brimson was simply stunning in his rookie campaign, especially getting fans excited when he switched from five-eighth to fullback for the last four games in Gordon’s injury-enforced absence.
Brimson is on the back foot early, recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, but this should be a gripping internal rivalry that may push both players to new heights.
Dale Copley v Brian Kelly (left centre)
On the assumption that Tyrone Peachey is deployed in the three-quarter line, Copley and Kelly could well be squabbling over one jersey in their favoured left centre spot.
Copley has played 32 games for the Titans since joining in early 2017 and particularly found top gear last season before being struck down by injury for the umpteenth time in his career.
Nonetheless he has runs on the board, though Kelly’s return to Titans colours has come with big expectations.
The Ballina and Lennox Head product played under-20s for Gold Coast before Manly swooped and he has now proven himself with two solid seasons of first grade under his belt.
Brennan has made a point of talking up the defensive fortitude Kelly brings to the table, which could be an advantage given the side have been brittle without the ball for the past 24 months.
Ryan James, Jarrod Wallace and Shannon Boyd (starting prop)
Not a bad three-way battle for two starting spots – that is, should James stay in the front-row where he appears more suited than the edge role he played at times in 2018.
James and Wallace have formed one of the most tireless pairings in the NRL and went close to squaring off in the State of Origin arena this year.
Enter big-money recruit Boyd.
The 122kg man mountain, who joined the Titans on a four-year deal, has four Kangaroos Tests to his name and a fearsome reputation.
While he does not have the work ethic of James and Wallace, he brings maximum impact which will add a much-needed extra dimension to the Titans pack.
Nathan Peats v Mitch Rein (hooker)
This seems simple enough, right? Peats is the incumbent as the club’s top rake and it was only the season before last that he toiled admirably for NSW.
However, the 28-year-old had a slow start to last season and never quite reached peak form.
At the same time, Rein showed exactly why Brennan went out of his way to lure the ex-Dragon north after his career had stalled at Penrith.
Providing plenty of spark out of dummy-half with his running game, it’s probably fair to say Rein outpointed Peats and more of the same could give him a shot at the starting role.
But if Peats is anything, it’s determined, and he will no doubt be working overtime this pre-season to rediscover his best footy.
Bench forwards
Again, should a fit roster prevail, there could be some big names relegated to the Intrust Super Cup.
Given James, Wallace, Boyd, Jai Arrow, Kevin Proctor and Keegan Hipgrave are all near-certainties, that leaves just two bench spots for non-hooker forwards.
Among the candidates to fill those spots are Moeaki Fotuaika, Max King, Morgan Boyle, Bryce Cartwright, Will Matthews and Jack Stockwell.
All six spent fair chunks of 2018 playing NRL but will have to up their game to win game time, while rookie Jai Whitbread and talented but out-of-form prop Leilani Latu are also waiting in the wings.
Should the Glenn murmurs materialise, that would only further raise the intra-squad competition.
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