NRL trials: Cameron Smith watches on as Gold Coast loses to Burleigh

As speculation over his future continues to rage, Cameron Smith made a surprise appearance at Gold Coast’s first trial game. Was it a sign or merely coincidence?

Cameron Smith set tongues wagging when he was spotted on the sidelines watching the Titans last night but it wasn’t the greatest audition from the Gold Coast.

Smith was at Pizzey Park as the Titans fell 36-34 to the Intrust Super Cup’s Burleigh Bears in their first pre-season trial of the year.

It was the second year in a row the Titans have lost to Burleigh in a trial game, but they went on to finish the 2020 NRL season with a bang.

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Smith was watching on with good friend and former Melbourne teammate Matt Geyer, whose son Cole was playing for Burleigh.

The Titans have been mooted as a possible new club for Smith, who is yet to announce his future plans, and his appearance at the game did little to temper speculation.

Titans figures denied they knew about Smith’s appearance at the game and coach Justin Holbrook laughed it off.

“Oh, was he? I’ve got no idea. It’s probably because he lives here,” he said.

“You told me you weren’t going to ask me anymore (laughs).

“It was just like last year how the game panned out.

“We were really good in the back end of the first half then didn’t have the ball for the last 20 minutes.”

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Gold Coast as bustling centre Greg Marzhew proved he could finally crack the NRL in 2021.

Cameron Smith was an interested onlooker during Gold Coast’s trial match.

Formerly known as Greg Leleisiuao, Marzhew dominated the NSW Cup with Wentworthville in 2019 before returning to the Gold Coast club he came through as a junior.

The powerful centre is a freak in the gym, holding most of the Titans’ lifting records and being close to unstoppable near the line with his low centre-of-gravity and bulky frame.

At 23, Marzhew is somewhat of a late-bloomer who is yet to play in the NRL despite being a highly-rated junior.

But his time may be close to arriving based on his impressive performance against a quality Intrust Super Cup team in Burleigh.

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— Mick (@mickd_83) February 19, 2021

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Holbrook fielded a team of mostly second-stringers in the Titans’ first hitout of the year and despite the loss there were some positive signs for a club expected to challenge for the NRL finals this season.

Jayden Campbell, son of Titans legend Preston Campbell, was sharp at fullback while winger Jonus Pearson ran away with two tries after missing most of the 2020 season.

Newcastle recruit Herman Ese’ese had his first run in Titans colours while fringe backrowers Sam Stone and Beau Fermor will add plenty of depth to the Gold Coast this year.

The Bears won the corresponding clash last year and came out with a bang when former NRL centre Sami Sauiluma burst through for the opening points after just four minutes.

It wasn’t all joy for Sauiluma though as he dislocated his shoulder in the process and didn’t return to the field.

Greg Marzhew scores a try for the Titans in the NRL nines.

Pearson hit back with a 100m intercept try and had a second shortly later, proving he will be a handy back-up for the NRL team this season after missing most of last year with a pectoral injury.

Marzhew showed his brute strength to barge through Burleigh’s defence and the skilful Treymain Spry scored on the stroke of halftime to give the Titans a 22-16 lead at the break.

Marzhew scored his second early in the second half and he completed his hat-trick by the 50-minute mark with a stepping effort.

The Bears got on a late run with Blake Leary, Josh Berkers, Lochlyn Sheldon and Allan Lockwood scoring to jag another win for Burleigh against the Titans.

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Originally published as NRL trials: Cameron Smith watches on as Gold Coast loses to Burleigh