James earns Brennan’s backing for captaincy
RUGBY LEAGUE: As tough as it was, Ryan James is now thankful for his first taste of leadership after being handed the Gold Coast Titans captaincy in his own right for the 2018 NRL season.
James, 26, started the 2017 season sharing the Titans reins with veteran backrower Kevin Proctor – then everything went pear shaped.
Proctor stepped down from the captaincy midway through the season after a cocaine scandal as the Titans’ 2017 season went from bad to worse.
There was a spate of injuries and reports of fullback Jarryd Hayne falling out with then coach Neil Henry, resulting in Henry’s dumping.
When the dust finally settled, the Gold Coast had finished second last.
Fast forward to the 2018 pre-season and Titans forward James now appreciates the role after their season from hell.
“It was tough, just the experience of it all, I got chucked in,” he said of the 2017 captaincy.
“(It was tough) the season we had and the off-field dramas we had but that is in the past now.
“We are looking at the future at the moment and with a new coach and new ownership, everything seems to be going on the up.”
While James will be flying solo at the helm in his ninth NRL season, the damaging backrower said he would lean on the likes of Proctor and hooker Nathan Peats.
“I am honoured and privileged to be named captain but I will lean on a few of the guys I talk to a lot,” he said.
New Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan said James made the decision on who will lead the team easy for him.
“He ticks all the boxes for what I am looking for in a captain,” he said.
“There were others who are leaders in their own right – Kevin Proctor, Nathan Peats, even Ash Taylor we hope at some point can become a good leader.
“But to be honest Ryan was an obvious choice for this club at this point in time.”
The Titans start their 2018 season hosting Canberra on March 11.