Titans to shift during Games

THE Titans will use next year’s Commonwealth Games lockout from Robina’s Cbus Super Stadium to help grow their brand, taking games to Toowoomba and Gladstone as part of the greatest regional push in NRL history.

The NRL confirmed games will be held across seven regional locations next season, with matches at Cairns, Mudgee, Tamworth, Bathurst and Gosford as well as the Titans’ Toowoomba and Gladstone clashes.

With the club’s regular venue unavailable for several weeks through March and April during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, the Titans have been forced to relocate two “home” fixtures.

Chief executive Graham Annesley conceded the shift would be a blow for the club’s Gold Coast-based fans but said there were opportunities to expand their supporter base.

“Whilst we would have obviously preferred to played all of our home games at Cbus in front of our loyal members and fans, we see this as a great opportunity to grow our brand and club’s footprint across Queensland,” Annesley said.

“As the 2018 season draw ha not yet been released, we still don’t know the exact rounds or opponent for each match, but the matches will fall between Rounds 2 and 6.”

Annesley praised the State Government for its help in moving games to traditional rugby league areas Toowoomba and Gladstone that will benefit from having NRL games in their cities.

“Minister Kate Jones and Tourism and Events Queensland are to be complimented for minimising the impact on the Titans regular season, whilst ensuring the club is not commercially disadvantaged as a result of the unavoidable relocation during a period when the eyes of the sporting world will be on the Gold Coast,” Annesley said.

Gladstone has never hosted an NRL competition match and a substantial crowd is expected to pack into Marley Brown Oval, while the return of Ash Taylor to the Garden City will be a drawcard for the Toowoomba game.

While the use of Cbus Super Stadium for rugby sevens at the Games has forced the Titans to relocate two home games and spend most of the opening six weeks of the season on the road, they are not as badly affected as the Gold Coast Suns AFL side.

The Suns will be forced out of Metricon Stadium – the venue for the athletics and opening and closing ceremonies – for the opening 10 rounds of the season.