Josh Hannay intent on ensuring Gold Coast Titans don’t botch another young talent in Zane Harrison

As the head coach of a team with a long track record of misjudging NRL talent, Josh Hannay has made it his priority to effectively develop the Titans’ newest rising star.

He is Gold Coast’s version of Nathan Cleary, a playmaking phenom who can deliver the Titans’ maiden premiership.

But Titans coach Josh Hannay is wary of the hype surrounding Zane Harrison and says the real pressure is on Gold Coast’s football program to ensure the classy 19-year-old doesn’t crash and burn.

Panthers halfback maestro Cleary steered Penrith to a golden four-title dynasty and good judges believe it is only a matter of time before Harrison makes waves in the NRL.

The Tweed Heads tyro is one of the best emerging halfbacks in the country, steering Palm Beach Currumbin to Queensland and National Schoolboy title wins in a dream 2024 campaign that saw him win the Peter Sterling Medal.

Past winners of the Sterling Medal for best-on-ground honours in the National Schoolboys final include Adam Reynolds, Payne Haas, David Fifita, Tom Dearden and Lachlan Galvin.

Now Harrison is the next big thing.

While Hannay is set to start the 2026 season with AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell in the halves, former Titans playmaker Kieran Foran believes Harrison will become a 10-year champion in the Gold Coast No.7 jumper.

Harrison has impressed during Titans pre-season. Picture: Titans Digital

But there is an old adage that the system makes the player and Hannay says it’s vital the Titans provide the right mentoring to turn Harrison into a title-winning playmaker on the Gold Coast.

“I am going to make it my challenge to make sure that kid fulfils the obvious potential that he has,” Hannay said.

“Zane is enormously exciting, everyone in this part of the rugby league world knows Zane’s pathway and knows what he is capable of at this juncture of his career.

“Zane has got it. He is so capable, but he can’t take the next step on his own.

“The Titans need to do everything right by this kid.”

Hannay’s candid critique is a nod to Gold Coast’s grim history of botching elite junior playmaking talent.

The club didn’t rate Luke Keary and the Burleigh Bears product went on to win three NRL premierships with Souths and the Roosters, including the Clive Churchill Medal in the 2018 NRL grand final.

Fogarty was one young talent abandoned by the Titans. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

As was Sexton. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The Titans gave Jamal Fogarty the co-captaincy in 2021 then offloaded the halfback 12 months later to Canberra.

They thought they had a brighter star in Toby Sexton, only to lose faith in him as well after one season, axing him in favour of Tanah Boyd.

Boyd lasted 12 months before being picked up by the Warriors, while Tom Weaver was cut by the Titans last month after 11 NRL games in three seasons.

All four represented the Australian Schoolboys. Keary played for rugby’s Australian Schoolboys in 2010.

That suggests Harrison could inherit a poisoned chalice if he ascends to the Titans’ No.7 jumper and Hannay accepts the NSW under-19s sensation cannot afford to fail in their program.

“It’s important for Zane to understand now, the pressure isn’t on him to take that next step,” he said.

“The pressure is on us as a club to put the systems and programs in place around Zane to allow that kid to take the next step.

“That’s why I am here.

“I see that responsibility as enormous, it’s not simply a case of ... over to you now Zane.

“How many young halves have we seen fall through the cracks because of a lack of development and quality coaching?

Hannay and the Titans hope Harrison is the future.

“We have to make sure we are putting the coaching and the structures around that kid so he can develop and take the next step.”

Harrison is knocking on the NRL door.

He played 11 games for feeder-club Tweed in the Queensland Cup this season and could make his NRL debut in 2026 if the Titans suffer an injury crisis in the halves.

Foran knows a halfback gem when he sees one. The 318-game NRL legend won a premiership at Manly at age 21 and believes Harrison has the tools to engineer Gold Coast’s watershed premiership - if the Titans get it right.

“I’ve got a really high opinion of Zane,” Foran said.

“He can be a 10-year halfback for the Titans, no doubt.

“He is a classic halfback with a wonderful kicking game, he’s a great organiser. He ticks all the boxes, but it’s his willingness to get better that sets him apart.

“He is constantly asking questions and striving to learn more.

“Zane is someone with a huge career in the NRL ahead of him, but his development will be crucial.”

Originally published as Josh Hannay intent on ensuring Gold Coast Titans don’t botch another young talent in Zane Harrison