Long link to league on Coast

THE new boss of the Titans has Gold Coast rugby league in his blood.

Steve Mitchell yesterday gave a glimpse of the links his family have to footy in the city, dating back to the 1920s.

“My great grandfather’s family were in Currumbin. They were dairy farmers and my family started the first (league) competitions that were here,” he said.

Almost a century on, the 49-year-old is now at the helm of the Coast’s NRL outfit.

Mitchell himself played the game in his younger years and his son, Anthony, was an NRL hooker for Parramatta, Sydney Roosters and North Queensland before retiring last year.

Steve Mitchell’s background includes central roles at media organisations Southern Cross Austereo, Seven Network, News Corporation and Network Ten plus professional sports clubs Melbourne Rebels and the North Queensland Cowboys.

During his six years in Townsville as commercial general manager, the club rose from the doldrums to win its maiden premiership in 2015.

Brisbane-born Mitchell will fly in and out of the Coast until his start date in early February.

“I’m a Queenslander. It’s great to be home,” he beamed.

Mitchell acknowledged the switch from fringe sport touch football to being the head of an NRL club would thrust him far more into the spotlight but he feels he is ready to embrace this dream role.

One of the first steps he will take is to embrace the community. “My kids grew up on junior fields. I can’t wait to get to the local community, to the Burleigh Bears, down to Tweed.”