LELEISIUAO LEFT WAITING IN THE WINGS
EXCITING backline prospect Greg Leleisiuao will spend another week waiting for his NRL debut after Titans coach Justin Holbrook awarded a wing position to 20-year-old Treymain Spry instead.
Titans fans have clamoured for Leleisiuao’s inclusion in the team following an electric 2019 season with Wentworthville Magpies in the NSW Cup.
Leleisiuao’s powerful running saw him finish that season ranked first in run metres (4512) and tackle-breaks (196), with 12 tries, a grand final berth and team of the season honours as a result.
With five backline starters unavailable due to injury, many hoped Friday’s match against Leleisiuao’s native New Zealand Warriors would have been the perfect chance to unleash a beast.
“It’s been hard for guys like Greg coming back to training,”
Holbrook said. “They’ve got to try get some games under the belt and Greg is the first to admit he needs match fitness.
“He’s training really hard but he’s one of those types of guys who needs week-on-week footy to get his match fitness up.
“He’s a very strong, powerful player but with limited interchange (positions) it’s hard to bring him on unless he’s 100 per cent ready to go.
“We’ve had a couple of scrimmage games and that’s been really good for him. He’s not far off.”
Blooding Treymain Spry, 20, instead is a fair consolation prize.
The Ipswich product signed with the Titans last year after cutting short his time with the Roosters due to homesickness.
He enters the frame in strong form with two tries from last week’s scrimmage with the Sharks’ wider squad.
“Obviously we have a couple of makeshift centres with backrowers playing centre, so I need a winger who can play wing,” Holbrook said. “Treymain can do that. “He’s a great young player and in the couple of scrimmage games we’ve played with other clubs he’s done really well.
“To give Treymain his debut is exciting, as a coach you want to give people opportunities and he’s a really talented young player coming through.”