Hayne not No.1 just yet

resentative was again shifted to the back to face former club Newcastle last start, with Hayne successfully switching to left centre.

Hayne afterwards insisted his time in the centres would be short-lived but it appears the two-time Dally M winner will be there for at least one more week, marking up on Storm star Will Chambers.

Titans coach Neil Henry said the positioning of Roberts and Hayne was a matter of best using the pair amid an ongoing backline injury toll.

Will Zillman and John Olive remain out while Dale Copley, Konrad Hurrell and Dan Sarginson have niggles.

“He has been in great form,” Henry said of Roberts, who he lauded as a terrific role model for the indigenous community.

“It (having Roberts at No.1) best suits the team at the moment given Jarryd was strong in the centres and the fact that he can run from the back and pop up on either side of the field has been good for us.

“Certainly his positional play in defence has improved and Jarryd is quite happy to take on that left edge role.

“But as you saw in the game against the Knights, Jarryd popped up on the right-hand side of the field too a couple of times in attack so he can rove.”

The side is unchanged other than the absence of Kevin Proctor, who has stood down for the time being. The Kiwi is replaced in the second-row by Joe Greenwood, with Copley returning on the bench.

Henry hinted Copley will be deployed as a means to cover any aggravated niggles for the likes of Hurrell and Sarginson.

Proud Gold Coast captain Ryan James, one of four indigenous players in the side, is keenly anticipating the NRL’s indigenous round showdown. He is joined by Roberts, Ash Taylor and Nathan Peats, while squad members Chris Grevsmuhl and Tyronne Roberts-Davis are also indigenous.

The Titans lifted in the 2016 indigenous round, defeating Sydney 26-6, and James hopes for a Suncorp Stadium repeat.

“It’s good we have come off the back of three half-decent games – we have definitely raised our standards,” he said.