TITANS RAIDED
AN impressive 30-10 victory over North Queensland and the lure of a new era under Justin Holbrook wasn’t enough to convince Titans captain Ryan James to stay.
The 29-year-old James (pictured) confirmed on Monday he had signed with the Canberra Raiders.
The veteran has played 144 NRL matches since making his debut for the Titans in 2010 but played just six games in 2019 before rupturing his ACL in the 2020 pre-season.
With Jai Arrow and potentially Bryce Cartwright also set to depart the club ahead of the 2021 season, uncovering and securing local talent is more important than ever.
And with the Langer Cup in full swing, their mission could be made all the easier.
TITANS veteran Ryan James appears to have played his final game for the club after signing with the Raiders on a two-year deal from 2021.
The 144-game Gold Coast stalwart announced the move on Monday as the roster reshuffle continued at the Titans ahead of next year’s highly anticipated season.
And though James, 29, may miss the future glory days on the Gold Coast, he will leave knowing he was instrumental in steering the club through some of its darkest days.
The club captain debuted for Gold Coast in 2010 before becoming an important part of the Titans set-up both on and off the field.
With the likes of David Fifita, Herman Ese’ese and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui headed to Gold Coast in 2021, it was always a challenge to keep the injured skipper.
James (pictured) has been sidelined for the 2020 season after re-injuring an anterior cruciate ligament in a knee when he collided with a teammate at training in January.
Gold Coast CEO Steve Mitchell bid farewell to one of the club’s “most endearing figures” while Canberra’s recruitment and high-performance director Peter Mulholland credited James’s leadership as a key factor in the signing.
“Ryan gave his all on the field but he has also given just as much off it,” Mitchell said.
“Not unlike Preston Campbell, Ryan has developed into a community leader helping drive inclusion and social improvement outcomes.
“At this stage of his career, Ryan and his family obviously had to decide what is best for them and that means a fresh start at the Raiders. He moves on with our complete support and best wishes.”
It comes as standin skipper Kevin Proctor declared his desire to remain at the club as he faces a nervous wait around his future. Proctor’s contract winds up at the end of 2020 and the Kiwi international is keen to see the club through the good after enduring the pain of the past few years.
“Obviously I would like to stay here,” he said.
“I just like where the Titans are going.
“I suppose being here when the times weren’t real good, I’d like to be here when the times are good.
“We’re heading in the right direction with Justin (Holbrook) and Mal (Meninga) doing his thing.”