BRYCE’S POSITION TO BE LOCKED IN
CLUB REVEALS PLANS FOR NEW RECRUIT
TITANS coach Garth Brennan has guaranteed Kane Elgey the Gold Coast’s No.6 jersey and revealed multimillion-dollar recruit Bryce Cartwright is set to play lock.
Cartwright, 23, is expected to join his new teammates at training for the first time on Friday and could pull on a Titans jersey in Saturday week’s trial against the Broncos in Toowoomba.
The NSW Origin aspirant will link with the Titans following a 68-game NRL career with Penrith where he split his time between the back row and five-eighth.
Cartwright is one of the game’s most skilful big men, prompting suggestions he could partner halfback Ash Taylor at the scrumbase.
But Brennan rejected that idea, declaring Elgey will be Taylor’s playmaking partner in Round 1 despite his disastrous 2017 season.
“I spoke to Kane and said ‘I didn’t bring Bryce up here to play six’,” he said.
“Ash and Kane will be my first options in the halves.
“We’ve got Bryce, AJ Brimson and Karl Lawton nipping at Kane’s heels if he doesn’t grab this opportunity, but I want him to know he will be given first crack.
“He will have Ryan James defending alongside him and hopefully give him that confidence he had in defence as a kid coming through with Ryan looking after him.”
In his return from a knee reconstruction last year, Elgey only won three of the 19 matches he played and struggled to form a combination with Taylor.
The Gold Coast product is now 24 and facing a pivotal season in his career as he looks to establish himself as a long-term NRL player.
Brennan’s choice to guarantee Elgey the five-eighth role will see Cartwright play a roving role at lock.
“I see him in the forward pack,” Brennan said.
“That’s either on an edge or at 13 where he can float like Greg Bird used to be a ballplayer and rove around.”
Brennan said Cartwright would arrive without injury concerns.
The nephew of foundation Titans coach John Cartwright is expected to be available for selection in the Broncos trial and he was certain to face the Warriors in the Gold Coast’s final warmup game.
“He might get 20 minutes against Brisbane,” Brennan said. “We’ll see how he settles in and how he’s travelling.”