TIME TO TACKLE REALITY
We know you diehard Titans fans have a lot on your minds, so here’s a Q&A that’s sure to quench your curiosity
AS the decade-long anniversary celebrations for the Titans continue, the club is sending out its annual membership survey. Your columnist, a paidup member, takes on 10 questions fans want answers to.
Q: Should coach Neil Henry have his contract renewed after this year?
A: Yes. The King may not always put his hand up for a media profile but blokes around town say he is first to answer an emergency call from a sportsman’s lunch charity to be a guest speaker. The team has had a horror run with injuries. Remember how close he got the Cowboys to a premiership?
Q: Given the injury toll, should an emergency call be put out for Greg Bird to return from France to help with the playing roster?
A: As they say in Paris – Estce que tu plaisantes mon ami.
Q: Just on issues that divided fans, nominate the player across the past decade who was the most hated or loved.
A: Can’t you read French? To translate: “Are you kidding, mate?”. Birdy regularly bashed Queenslanders when he played for NSW.
Q: Just on controversial players – what should happen when the contract of Jarryd Hayne finishes? Should a marque player like him be offered another $1.2 million to play on?
A: No. Hayne has been a phenomenal marketing tool for the Titans. From the sidelines, he can be brilliant and explosive to watch. But this will be the club’s most critical playing roster call. Spend the money on stopping the Broncos poaching talented young halfback Ash Taylor and build for the future.
Q: Now just some housekeeping – do you want a cap or lanyard with your membership package next year?
A: No, please use that money – every bit of it from the fans – to keep Taylor. That’s Ash, not the other Taylor – remember, big bloke, the court scandal – we all remember that.
Q: On the subject of money, do you think tradies hurt in the Centre of Excellence building disaster will ever return en masse to support the team again?
A: No, and I know this is something management still ponders but we shouldn’t expect it or hope for it, because their lives and financial security in retirement was destroyed. Focus instead on getting the younger fans who will encourage their Bronco mums and dads to become Titans supporters.
Q: Sometimes you are confronted at games by huge numbers of opposition fans at the southern stand. Does this concern you, security wise? Have you any suggestions?
A: Security wise? Yes, only with Bulldogs fans. The New Zealand Warriors, their fans are bigger in size and number. If they win, the local Kiwis – just say “bro, no free bus or train back to Coomera”.
Q: Finally 10 years on, what about a gold statue at the stadium to honour a Titan? Who should that be?
A: Yes. But we want to save on coin, right? Someone short then, never caught in a scandal – gee, the short list is getting shorter. One guy stands tall in his contribution on and off the field. Yes, it would be good to point the kids to Preston Campbell.