Tyler’s right move
Taking the plunge to make Coast home set to pay off
FOR years, Tyler Cornish wondered if his NRL dream would ever eventuate.
The Goulburn product was signed by the Sydney Roosters as a teenager and came through their under-20s system. But rather than graduating straight into first grade, Cornish spent a couple of seasons in the wilderness playing for NSW Cup feeder side Wyong.
Cornish’s big off-season decision to relocate to the Gold Coast paid off handsomely with a memorable NRL debut against Parramatta last week but he admitted afterwards it had been a winding, uncertain road to arrive there.
“It’s tough. You see other blokes getting a shot and you’re just sort of waiting for your chance,” he said.
“It took two-and-a-half years out of 20s to finally get my shot but it was worth it.”
Cornish was ultimately forced out of the Roosters system by the recruitment of Luke Keary and a general shift in the halves pecking order. It left him with two options: Accept interest from Canberra and their NSW Cup feeder Mounties or make the “massive” call to move away from family and start afresh.
“I’m a big family person so to make the move up here was really big but I honestly thought it was my best opportunity to make first grade and it turns out it was a good move,” he said.
Though he was originally signed by Queensland Cup premiers Burleigh, the 22year-old always had a Titans spot in his sights.
And it only took three weeks for him to receive a callup, replacing Jarryd Hayne at fullback amid an unprecedented injury crisis.
Cornish added spark to the attack and chimed in with some crucial defensive plays, despite having to spend much of the game on the wing – a position he had never before played – after William Zillman re-injured his calf.
Titans chief operating officer Tony Mestrov labelled Cornish an “exciting” project.