Positives for Titans juniors
Development program lures stars on and off field
GOLD Coast Titans Under-19s triumphed 32-20 over the Burleigh Bears Under-21s in the first game of rugby league on Queensland soil in 2021.
The scoreline was not so important for the Titans, who rolled out a team stacked full of recent graduates and current students from nurseries Keebra Park and Palm Beach Currumbin to test their skills against bigger, stronger opponents from an age group above.
The team handled themselves capably, with spine players Oskar Bryant, Tom Weaver and Jaylan de Groot shining as the side crossed for eight tries.
De Groot and former PBC teammate Reef Somerville each scored twice while Bryant, Ryan Foran, Brody Smitka and highly touted centrefive-eighth talent Tony Francis also crossed the line.
Maroons stars Moeaki Fotuaika and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui watched their younger brothers Sione and Iszac playing their first home game in Titans colours but they were far from the biggest attraction on the sidelines.
That honour belonged to Cameron Smith, who journeyed to Pizzey Park to watch his godson, Cole Geyer, in the Burleigh side.
Geyer, the son of Smith’s former Melbourne teammate Matt, is a promising hooker himself who crossed for one of his side’s five tries.
Titans Elite Player Development manager Jamie McCormack
was pleased with the local talent that continues to emerge through the club’s Junior Titans System development program.
“We’ve always had an emphasis on keeping local players and showing them we have a genuine program that can make them better players and better people,” he said.
“Thankfully over the last few years it’s started to come fruition. The club recognises
that everything is built from the bottom, and while we’re striving for success at the top we know we have to build that sound base of juniors and give them opportunities.
“The Junior Titans System is a huge component of the club. We’re building and we believe we’re on the right track.”
Burleigh development manager Roy Leoni was impressed with the calibre of
youngster emerging through the pipeline and not just on the Titans side of the fence.
“They were very good – you could tell they’ve been training together for three months,” he said.
“We used the trial to give a lot of local kids the chance to play against the top young talent in the state.
“It was a trial by fire for those boys and they put their best foot forward.”