2019 TITANS FAN POLL RESULTS
Titans supporters have delivered a firm “hands-off” over talk of relocation, plus backed Jai Arrow for captaincy. Connor O’Brien looks at the results from the 2019 Fans’ Poll.
FOUNDATION Titans player Mat Rogers has called on the club to install Jai Arrow as captain – a view supported by club fans – for when their new era begins under incoming NRL coach Justin Holbrook.
Gold Coast will start again when Holbrook arrives in time for the start of the 2020 preseason on November 4 and there’s no better opportunity to wipe the slate clean when it comes to the side’s on-field leader too.
Make no mistake: Rogers is a big fan of incumbent Ryan James.
The one-club front-rower has led the Titans since 2017, although an ACL rupture in Round 6 abruptly ended his current season, with Tyrone Roberts and now Kevin Proctor standing in as co-captains.
“I love Dark (James),” Rogers said.
“Dark is a great player and I would love to see him just worry about playing.”
Rogers has been critical of a lack of general leadership in the Titans’ playing ranks.
“It can’t be one guy sticking it out, there needs to be half a dozen guys keeping the younger blokes accountable and keeping them on track for what it takes to be an NRL player. That seems to be the problem, they seem leaderless,” he said.
In his view, Queensland Origin workhorse Arrow is the ideal man to spearhead an era of new standards.
“Jai Arrow is the one player I have seen (improve at the Titans),” Rogers said.
“Jai Arrow is an anomaly. Why is that? Why is he able to improve? Because he’s selfmotivated, that’s why.
“He’s not affected by the noise around him, he is just going out there and doing his business and that’s the sort of person you need leading the club.
“They let their actions speak and not buy into all of the crap they’re hearing.”
That opinion is in line with the thoughts of Titans supporters: 46 per cent of respondents to the Bulletin’s 2019 Fans’ Poll believe Arrow should captain the club in 2020.
That figure came in ahead of James (36 per cent), Roberts (12 per cent) and other (six per cent) among the about 600 supporters who voted online.
The 24-year-old is currently on the mend from ankle surgery.
It’s not the first time Arrow has been touted for a leadership role, with Gorden Tallis publicly calling for the Keebra Park product to be the shortand long-term Queensland skipper.
Meanwhile the injured star endorsed the decision to appoint Holbrook as coach, saying that he would be able to bring success to the club.
The current St Helens mentor, who coached Arrow and Ash Taylor for the Junior Kangaroos in 2015, is likely to arrive on the Gold Coast in November after his final year in the Super League.
“I think he is a genuinely good guy who cares about the players and who gets the best out of players as well,” Arrow said at the launch of the new Maroons Academy program with TAFE Queensland yesterday.
“I only spent 10 days with him (in Junior Kangaroos camp) but I enjoyed being coached by him.
“He’s had success in the Super League and his team is 10 points clear of the second team, so he’s obviously been successful.
“He sees good things ahead on the Gold Coast and has said he thinks the team and the club can be successful.
“That is exciting.”