Jack’s of all trades
THE numbers don’t lie – Titans recruit Jack Stockwell can claim to bring some much-needed defensive mettle to his new club.
In a look back at the 28 players currently on Gold Coast’s top roster for this year, none posted better tackle efficiency statistics in 2017 than the then Newcastle prop.
In 10 games for the Knights, Stockwell missed just five of 191 tackle attempts to give him an excellent overall efficiency of 97.38 per cent.
That figure put him just clear of workhorses Kevin Proctor and Ryan Simpkins, with Jai Arrow and Ryan James also in the top five.
After playing 63 NRL games across six seasons at the Dragons and Newcastle, Stockwell was picked up by Gold Coast in the off-season and is determined to produce his best footy on the Glitter Strip – as soon as his shoulder makes a full recovery.
“I want to establish myself up here as one of the dominant front-rowers and hopefully have a good season,” he told the Bulletin recently.
The Titans were brittle defensively last year, conceding more points than any other team bar Newcastle. That record was reflected in ladder positions with the Titans 15th and the Knights dead last.
Highlighting the club’s need to address their work without the ball out wide is the fact that all 11 of their backs on the list fill spots 14 to 24 with halfback Ash Taylor the highest ranked.
Taylor’s halves partner Kane Elgey missed more tackles than any other Titan. Elgey was part of an often targeted left edge generally comprising of himself, Joe Greenwood and Dale Copley.
Keegan Hipgrave and Will Matthews were not included in the list having only played one match last year, while Alexander Brimson and Jai Whitbread are yet to make their NRL debuts.