Titans convinced to sign Hilder
By Daniel Pace
August 15, 2006
A CHAT with former NRL coach Chris Anderson convinced Gold Coast coach John Cartwright that Sharks utility Matt Hilder was the right man for the Titans.
Cartwright didn't even realise that Hilder - who has agreed to a one-year deal covering the fledgling club's debut season in 2007 - was off contract until he was approached by the 24-year-old's manager, former St George hardman Harry Eden.
Hilder, renowned for his consistently high workrate, completes the Titans' 25-man first-grade squad, but club chief executive Michael Searle said the recruitment drive would continue until the roster reached 35 players.
Cartwright said Hilder had been signed chiefly as a back-up half to Penrith livewire Preston Campbell and Wests Tigers former captain Scott Prince.
"He covers a lot of positions but I'm more interested in him as a five-eighth," Cartwright said.
"I spoke to Chris Anderson about him and Chris said he's more than capable of playing five-eighth, and there's not many players around like him these days."
Anderson gave Hilder his first-grade debut at the Sharks in March 2003.
"He's creative and can lay on a try. He just doesn't put the ball under his arm and die wondering.
"Chris gave him a glowing report both as a footballer and a person. He backed up what I thought."
Cartwright said he had no doubt Hilder was a first-grade player despite the fact he is languishing in Premier League for the Sharks, who have lost their past seven matches.
"I think the club is going through a confidence crisis and he's been caught up in the mix," former Sydney Roosters assistant coach Cartwright said.
"I've got no doubt he's a first grader and he'll be a great addition for us.
"I didn't know he was off contract. I've admired the way he's played for a while.
"From coaching at the Roosters, whenever we played Cronulla we had to do some extra work on him because you never really knew what he was going to do with the ball."
Hilder has played 80 NRL games since making his first grade debut for the Sharks.
"I just wanted to try something new," Hilder, who is yet to visit the Gold Coast with fiancee Natalie and baby girl Indy, said.
"I've been at the Sharks since I was 16. I didn't want to be sitting around in 10 years thinking I probably should have made that move."
