HOOKER FACES LONG ROAD BACK
STAR Titans recruit Sam Verrills could be sidelined for several months, as coach Justin Holbrook revealed the hooker would undergo surgery on Monday to repair a broken collarbone.
Speaking after his side’s 38-34 triumph over the Melbourne Storm on Saturday, Holbrook was questioned over the imminent availability of the former Roosters’ premiership winner.
Verrills left the field in the 49th minute against St George-Illawarra with what Holbrook described as “a burner in his shoulder”.
However the club confirmed the fractured collarbone which ultimately ruled him out of the round 3 clash at home was unrelated.
When asked if the injury could rule the 24-year-old out for “months”, Holbrook confirmed that could be a possibility.
But after a 2022 campaign plagued by a lack of depth at dummy-half – with forwards Erin Clark, Sam McIntyre and even Jarrod Wallace taking the jumper at times – another recruit in Chris Randall has proven to be a key inclusion.
And his new mentor was full of praise for his efforts; finishing with 22 tackles and 31m from three runs in sweltering temperatures that pushed beyond 30C.
“I think he gets surgery on Monday, I’d say it will be a few,” Holbrook said of Verrills.
“(But) Chris Randall was enormous for us; to have to start at nine and play 70-something minutes in those conditions was enormous.
“There’s a lot to like about how the boys played today.”
Despite a host of errors between the two sides – 27 in total – the Titans’ attack clicked into gear to surprise one of the powerhouse outfits of the NRL.
Speedster Alofiana Khan-Pereira has taken his try scoring exploits from the Burleigh Bears into his maiden first-grade season, running in two tries in the opening stanza.
An eight minute blitz either side of halftime then got the Gold Coast on the front foot, with Brian Kelly’s try in the shadows of the break kickstarting the procession.
A pair of Melbourne errors early in the second half led to tries for returning forward Jo Vuna and centre Aaron Schoupp, with Schoupp finishing with a double.
Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was all smiles postgame, despite a trickle of blood running down his nose following a heavy hit by Elisea Katoa which resulted in a HIA assessment.
However while the Maroons enforcer, who still played 65 minutes for 127m and 21 tackles, believed it could be a break he declared himself fit for this week’s clash against the North Queensland Cowboys.
“I think so,” Fa’asuamaleaui said when asked if the nose was broken.
“He got me good but that’s footy … I’ll be right for next week.”
Marquee recruit Kieran Foran was seen late in the first half fuming at being taken from the field as Tanah Boyd return from a HIA.
While Holbrook confirmed it was purely a matter of the heat at Cbus Super Stadium to ensure the fresh Jayden Campbell was not immediately sent back to the interchange, it did beg the question just how does he use his livewire number 14?
Campbell jumped into the halves while Boyd was off, before shifting to the centres in the second half upon Foran’s return.
The 23-year-old, who comes off contract in 2024 and will be free to negotiate with rivals from November 1, has showcased plenty of promise at fullback; averaging 130m and five tackle busts a game last season.
But with AJ Brimson claiming the number one jumper, where Campbell fits into the starting side long-term remains to be seen.
Holbrook admitted where to play the youngster was a constant dilemma, and a desire to keep him on the field in addition to the conditions was behind Foran’s shock first half benching.
“Foz is such a competitor, he wants to play 80 minutes and so he should. If it’s an eight o’clock game at night and 20-odd degrees he stays on there, but in those conditions and with Jayden Campbell I thought he was going to have a big impact for us,” he said.
“In those conditions it was 30something (degrees) and you go in the middle of our stadium it’s probably 40. I didn’t want to get JC straight off then, so on a day like today I was going to need (Foran’s) experience at the back end of the game. It’s always hard when you’ve got Jayden Campbell on the bench: where does he play and for how long?”