NRL 2023: Gold Coast Titans recruit Kieran Foran opens up on title hopes and Manly heartbreak
In his first interview as a Titan, Kieran Foran insists he’s not an injury risk, and reveals the secret weapon that will help him succeed on the Gold Coast.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Marquee Gold Coast recruit Kieran Foran insists he is not an injury risk and has outlined his mission to lead the Titans to a historic maiden premiership.
In his first interview since joining the Titans, Foran opened up to News Corp about the challenge of resurrecting the embattled Gold Coast, the devastation of leaving Manly – and why he is not on his last legs as an NRL playmaker.
After the promise of a finals appearance in 2021, the Titans went off the rails this year, crashing to 13th with just six wins in a nightmare campaign that exposed Gold Coast’s lack of experience at the scrumbase.
Titans coach Justin Holbrook targeted Foran as part of his recovery operation, believing the 32-year-old’s premiership-winning touch can bring to the Coast what Adam Reynolds delivered at the Broncos this year.
“I am really enjoying the challenge of what sits in front of me at the Titans,” Foran said.
“I am in a good place.”
GOLD COAST RESCUE
There is a view the Gold Coast is a convenient final stop for some players chasing an easy payday in their twilight years before retirement.
Not so with Foran. The Titans have an ambitious strategic plan to win two premierships within a decade and Foran says he won’t be in cruise control as he chases his first title since tasting grand-final glory as a 21-year-old at Manly in 2011.
Since their founding in 2007, the Titans have never qualified for a grand final, let alone won a premiership. Their best effort is a preliminary-final campaign in 2010.
Foran wants to change that.
“From my point of view, I’m not coming to the Titans to take it easy,” Foran said.
“I am not going up there to cruise and make up the numbers. I’m competitive and I have a complete belief the Titans have the talent to do something special in the coming years and I want to be a part of that.
“I am going up there to play finals next season and one day win a competition with the Titans.
“They haven’t been too far away. They would have been disappointed with their 2022 season and rightly so, but I will do everything I can to make the club successful.”
THE MISSING PIECE
Foran is so keen to make an impression that just last week, while visiting the Gold Coast with his wife, the Kiwi Test playmaker stopped into Parkwood for a meet-and-greet with Titans players.
The 262-game veteran jumped into a few training sessions. Forget about being mentally and physically fatigued after returning home from New Zealand’s gruelling World Cup campaign in England. It underlines Foran’s professionalism, and the mentoring role he wants to adopt for the Titans’ emerging playmakers Toby Sexton, Tanah Boyd and AJ Brimson.
“I checked out the place and I was keen to have a light run, meet the guys and keep the legs ticking over,” Foran said of his impromptu Titans stopover before returning to Sydney for a Christmas break.
“I came home from the World Cup and had about 10 days when I relaxed and didn’t do anything, but I came up the Goldy and did a couple of half-sessions with the boys. It was good to meet everyone and get a feel for the place.
“I can’t wait to mentor their younger halves. I got in this week and met Toby Sexton, Tanah Boyd and AJ and they are absolutely lovely young fellas.
“You can see they are switched on with their rugby league and highly driven to improve their games.
“That’s what excites me most, just seeing the determination of those guys to bounce back after last season. It’s my duty to nurture those guys where I can and pass on the experience and wisdom I’ve had in my career.
“I want to be an even better player for the Titans than I was for Manly this season and if I do that, hopefully I am giving something to the Gold Coast as a leader and mentor.”
SECRET WEAPON
Foran accepts there will be pessimists who believe he is on the brink of a career-ending injury breakdown.
The veteran five-eighth or halfback suffered a wretched run at Canterbury from 2018-20, playing just 40 games in three seasons due to a series of injuries that almost forced his retirement.
At rock bottom, ‘Foz’ rebuilt his body with the help of Manly conditioner Cameron Ferguson, who just happens to be the Titans’ new high-performance chief.
Over the past two seasons, Ferguson implemented the training plan that saw Foran play 49 of a possible 51 games at Brookvale. That gives Foran complete confidence his two-year deal with the Titans will not be plagued by injury dramas.
“I am confident I am not a risk for the Titans,” said Foran, who turns 33 next July.
“I can understand the critics out there saying I’ve had my fair share of injuries and why would the Titans sign me, but I have shown in the past 18 months the hard work I have done has paid off for my body.
“I’m proud of the way I have soldiered on. My career has been dead and buried four or five times and I just kept picking myself up and proving I can keep doing the job.
“I would have played for free in the NRL because I knew deep down my body had more to give.
“That period forced me to look into my training methods and I found a lot of help from people including Cam Ferguson, who is the best in the business.
“I definitely feel I’m a stronger player and person for what I went through. I’m a very driven guy and my belief never wavered.
“I have no doubt I will stay on the park for the Titans with the way I look after myself.”
BROOKVALE HEARTBREAK
In a perfect world, Foran would have finished his career at Manly with his beloved coach Des Hasler.
But just months after salary-cap pressures forced the 28-Test Kiwi stalwart out of Brookvale, the famous club was rocked by the sacking of Hasler, who fought hard to stave off a poaching bid from the Titans for Foran.
“It’s been tough,” Foran said of the Manly ructions, which included the gay-pride jumper fiasco.
“When I made my decision to go, I was hoping to finish my career at Manly.
“I will never bag Manly because they were so great to me and I wouldn’t be the person and player I am today without them.
“I started my NRL journey there, won a premiership there and they took me back when no-one else wanted me really after my injury dramas at the Dogs.
“In relation to Des, it’s really unfortunate what has happened to him. But the club made the decision to head in a different direction and it’s hard for me to comment on it because I’ve moved on.
“They made the call on Des, but he was amazing for me in my footy career. I love him like a father. He never lost faith in me. I will always be extremely grateful for the mentoring he gave me and the good times we had together.”
FIXING FIFITA
The Titans’ $1 million man David Fifita has had two rollercoaster seasons at the Coast. The former Broncos star is off-contract next year and Foran believes he has the playmaking guile to unlock the brutal brilliance of Fifita on Gold Coast’s edge.
“I can’t wait to work with a guy like Dave Fifita,” Foran said.
“I want to get to know him and train with him and eventually play alongside him.
“Dave is a guy who can do things on a football field that not many others can. That’s why he is in the position he’s in at the moment. He’s capable of being one of the most destructive forwards in the game and I can play a role in that.
“Watching the clips of him, Dave is a match winner. I would love to have him running off me. He is such a big, explosive body with footwork and speed and if you can put him in the right positions on the field, he can really do some damage.”
THE FUTURE
Foran is 38 matches away from joining the NRL’s elite 300-game club and hasn’t ruled out delaying retirement if his two-year Titans stint is successful.
“You never say never,” he said.
“When my Titans deal ends, I will be 34, but it comes down to form doesn’t it?
“If I am playing good footy and the Titans are winning games, there is no reason there has to be an end point. But I understand it’s a results-driven business and that will determine whether I continue on with the Titans or whether this next deal will be it.
“It’s on me to perform.”
More Coverage
Originally published as NRL 2023: Gold Coast Titans recruit Kieran Foran opens up on title hopes and Manly heartbreak
Join the conversation
Join NRL for free: Shock move that killed Western Bears’ bid
The Western Bears bid chief has revealed the Perth-based consortium offered to pay “zero” to become the NRL’s 18th team in 2027 - a move that has left the Perth-based consortium on life support.
Read more
Johnson to come out of retirement to answer Kiwis SOS
Two weeks after knocking back an invitation to help New Zealand at the Pacific Championships, Shaun Johnson has accepted a call-up to the injury-ravaged Kiwis side and is set to come out of retirement.
Read more