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Ways to Improve the Titans

MugaB

Coach
Messages
11,807
Cronulla with Easts, Souths and Saints
That would solve a fair lot of problems, colors are similar and areas are covered better
Back to Titans though, if their is an expansion in brisbane, you'd hope its north of brisbane, so that gold coast isn't directly affected
 

Mr Angry

Not a Referee
Messages
51,764
Cronulla with Easts, Souths and Saints
That would solve a fair lot of problems, colors are similar and areas are covered better
The only bridge that should be crossed should be the Harbour one.

Easts are better suited to Balmian and North Sydney IMO.

Souths, Saints.

Cross an Ugly bridge, reach the Shire down to the gong, then Canberra kicks in.

Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him.
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,146
Turn that end area that they never fill/use (and have started putting up a Trip adviser ad or whatever it is bbanner up) into something more like that Boundary social section at the MCG.

For those that do not know that is a temporary/makeshift elevated/platformed area where fans go in and lounge around and drink around a tropical looking pool with palm trees.

Get some stunners in in bikinis (women and dudes so no gender is offended).

That would look a lot better than empty seats and it would be better advertising than that banner they put in.
 

MKCS

Juniors
Messages
546
The Titans will likely go bad this year once again with very little upside in their side currently but plenty of opportunity to bring things back in 2021.

Lets assess:

- The Titans already have Mal Meninga at the top of things in the kind of ambassador type role. They need to splash the cash and pick up a good coaching team. I would suggest Kevin Walters if he is gone at the end of Origin this year flanked by Michael Hagan who seems to be doing very little apart from being Mal's second for Australia. This is a duo filled with lots of good experience and are a duo that players would be keen to come in and play for.

- They need to change their culture. Gold Coast is a party city as we all know and I think a lot of the NRL players that go there (Especially at the tail end of their career) just go up there for big money and the partying lifestyle whilst just being happy with playing average/solid for the Titans. I'd get rid of a lot of their players such as Roberts and Taylor who would be lucky to make another NRL side (Roberts is alright but he's not going to lead a club to a comp) and that awful backline they have.

I understand despite having the money to sign guys that the Titans will likely have to take the Raiders approach from a few years back and look to England or the lesser NRL clubs for players.

I'd take a serious look at the following players

Aidan Sezer - No idea how an NRL grand final half just somehow goes under the radar and takes off to England but he'd be my number 1 target. A strong half that can organise and is highly underrated so won't be expensive.

Blake Austin - I know he and Sezer played in the past together at the Raiders and if I recall they didn't go too badly. I think he would be happy to come back to the NRL on the cheap and was one of the best guys playing in England last year. He is a phenomenal running half and can break a game which is what I honestly think the Titans need since Ash Taylor has gotten lazy/bored/unmotivated.

Reed Mahoney - Coming off contract from the Eels in 2020 and looking like the long term option for QLD if there 30 man squad is anything to go off. Played really well last year and will likely do it again this year. Pay him big dollars and secure him long term. I think they could easily secure him for a long time on what they'd be paying both Peats and Rein.

Dane Gagai - Is he still upset at Souths? On the right money he'd be a good pick up for them just based on the fact that they need experienced backs and Gagai not only is experienced but a rep player.

Kevin Naiqama - Impressive outings for country and has speed to him still. I wouldn't put him on big money but he seems like the type that would be happy to come back and could probably fill a wing spot in the NRL still. Titans desperately need a boost in the winger department especially with Anthony Don being 33 at the start of the 2021 season.

Tyson Frizell - My big money signing would be Frizell who comes off contract at the Dragons this year. Give him Arrow's money plus extra and make him the highest paid second rower in the comp to come and play for the Titans.

So in closing the 2021 Titans would be as follows:

1. Brimson 2. Naiqama 3. Kelly 4. Gagai 5. Sami 6. Austin 7. Sezer 8. Wallace 9. Mahoney 10. Boyd 11. Proctor 12. Frizell 13. James

14. Fotuaki (Spelling?) 15. Latu 16. Cartwright 17. Stone

---

Keep in mind I'm not predicting this team to win a comp but it'd get them off the bottom. If Brimson realises his full potential along with Sami and Mahoney that'd be a great start. Experienced faces in Austin, Sezer and Gagai would have points to prove whilst the existing strong Titans forward pack would flourish with the addition of Frizell.

Easier said than done to confirm all these players I know but Newcastle did something similar so it's not an impossible task.
 
Messages
2,810
Early reports are that Boyd and Latu still look unmotivated and unfit, but Peachey and Carty look to be full of energy and motivation. Ash looks really good too, but I wouldn't read much into it since he had a good pre-season last year too and we all know how that turned out.

Personally, I don't see us being a much better team this year than what we were last year given we're still stuck with mostly the same crop of players. Our 3 coach signings is extremely encouraging though (I think both Lenihan and Dymock are brilliant signings, but Holbrook still has much to prove).
 
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Legion

Juniors
Messages
400
Early reports are that Boyd and Latu still look unmotivated and unfit, but Peachey and Carty look to be full of energy and motivation. Ash looks really good too, but I wouldn't read much into it since he had a good pre-season last year too and we all know how that turned out.

Personally, I don't see us being a much better team this year than what we were last year given we're still stuck with mostly the same crop of players. Our 3 coach signings is extremely encouraging though (I think both Lenihan and Dymock are brilliant signings, but Holbrook still has much to prove).
Do any of you guys know what happened to Ash Taylor? He was the next big thing. Everyone was talking him up. Last year he was very average at best.

Is he playing with injury? Not handling the pressure? Unhappy at the club? Did someone shoot his dog? Lose his left testicle in a bar brawl?

There must be some explanation how a player with so much [supposed] talent can go backwards so rapidly.
 

Legion

Juniors
Messages
400
No way, we hate Parramatta as much as manly and norths, souths and easts
Oh good, so you see my point.
Don't think that Easts & the Sharks nor the Bunnies & Saints would be happy to lose their identity either.
They are foundation clubs who helped build the competition to what it is today.

The game is doing well as it is thanks. No need for any more Johnny-Come-Lately's who want to profit from others hard work.
 

MugaB

Coach
Messages
11,807
Oh good, so you see my point.
Don't think that Easts & the Sharks nor the Bunnies & Saints would be happy to lose their identity either.
They are foundation clubs who helped build the competition to what it is today.

The game is doing well as it is thanks. No need for any more Johnny-Come-Lately's who want to profit from others hard work.
Its not about losing identity, it was a question of if it had to be done or if they wanted to coz they simply could survive, which teams could combine well together, i know you rather they just disappear rather than merge.
Im not advocating it, just spitballing it
 

Legion

Juniors
Messages
400
Its not about losing identity, it was a question of if it had to be done or if they wanted to coz they simply could survive, which teams could combine well together, i know you rather they just disappear rather than merge.
Im not advocating it, just spitballing it
"disappear rather than merge"? Good God no. I'd even be against any suggestion of getting rid of Penrith ..... beg your pardon, Penriff.

The Sydney clubs BUILT the competition. Penrith was a late comer but look at what the club has done for their local community alone.

Although I'm no fan of Souths, I was horrified at the mere suggestion of losing them.
I'd feel the same if it was Manly facing the chopping block.

Aussie Rules club South Melbourne had the right idea relocating to Sydney. Although some supporters may have been pissed it was a way better idea than to go down the drain.
Relocation makes economic sense if/when a club is struggling financially. The Blue Bags should have been given that option when areas like Gold Coast or FNQ wanted in.
 

MugaB

Coach
Messages
11,807
"disappear rather than merge"? Good God no. I'd even be against any suggestion of getting rid of Penrith ..... beg your pardon, Penriff.

The Sydney clubs BUILT the competition. Penrith was a late comer but look at what the club has done for their local community alone.

Although I'm no fan of Souths, I was horrified at the mere suggestion of losing them.
I'd feel the same if it was Manly facing the chopping block.

Aussie Rules club South Melbourne had the right idea relocating to Sydney. Although some supporters may have been pissed it was a way better idea than to go down the drain.
Relocation makes economic sense if/when a club is struggling financially. The Blue Bags should have been given that option when areas like Gold Coast or FNQ wanted in.
Bluebag were going to go to campbelltown, before they left the competition in 1981
 

mongoose

Coach
Messages
11,215
The Titans just need to win.

They also need to tap into more local players. I feel they have wasted a lot of opportunities chasing players from down south with questionable off field histories.

They need to develop a bit of cultural pride too. Take players on a tour of the whole Gold Coast area, show them it's not just a strip of hotels around Surfers and Broadbeach. You got Burleigh, the home of Billabong. Coolangatta which has a famous Ironman contest. The sub tropical hinterland which has waterfalls and stuff. It's a natural paradise.

Most importantly though then need to win.
 
Messages
8,480
The Titans just need to win.

They also need to tap into more local players. I feel they have wasted a lot of opportunities chasing players from down south with questionable off field histories.

They need to develop a bit of cultural pride too. Take players on a tour of the whole Gold Coast area, show them it's not just a strip of hotels around Surfers and Broadbeach. You got Burleigh, the home of Billabong. Coolangatta which has a famous Ironman contest. The sub tropical hinterland which has waterfalls and stuff. It's a natural paradise.

Most importantly though then need to win.

Pure and simple.

The only time any GC team had success was in 2010. That year they finished 4th, made the grand final qualifier and had an average home crowd of over almost 18k.

How they get success again is the big question. In recruiting I think they've tried to do the right thing. They did have the signature of a certain halfback that they would build their club around... but who's morals turned out to be lower than low.. they've then gone for Ash Taylor similarly whos subsequently had numerous issues.

I think the roster actually looks ok on the whole but needs starch. Hire more starch and get rid those taking the p**s..

I don't know much about their coach but in my mind they need to hire an absolute cage rattler who can go in their and shake the joint up for two seasons, break the shackles, then hand over to someone else who can take it further. Nice guy coaches wont do it with this side... get a headkicker in. They might upset a few players but that's not necessarily bad, they'll light some fires under the backsides of underperforming players and actually get rid of deadwood.

I really hope the Titans can turn it around. Their fans who turn up each week in the face of the onslaught of poor results must be some of the most ardent league fans in the country. They deserve success and I hope they get it soon.
 

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