Youngest Titans on tour
Andrew Johns Medal winner heads Coast crew in UK series
THE next generation of Titans are preparing to experience their first taste of international football this weekend.
Six Titans juniors have travelled to the United Kingdom with the New South Wales Country Rugby League under-16s squad to take on England in a two-match series.
The tour begins in earnest in the early hours on Monday morning when the side lines up against Leeds Rhinos in their only warm-up clash.
Exciting playmaking prospect Tom Weaver said the chance to test his and his teammates’ skills against England’s top footballers was an opportunity to savour.
“They’ll be very tough,” the 16-year-old said.
“They go through the middle a lot, run hard and tackle with aggression, so it’s going to be a pretty exciting experience.
“It’ll be pretty cold but you’ve got to get used to it while you’re over there.”
Defeating England would be a feather in the cap for the junior Titans playmaker, who captained his Northern Rivers teammates to Andrew Johns Cup glory earlier in the year.
The Tweed halfback was awarded the Andrew Johns Medal as the under-16s regional NSW player of the year, which is one reason the Titans are so excited to have secured his signature with the Junior Titans System.
“He’s an up-and-coming halfback with good communication skills, quite crafty, and he’s a bit of a leader on the football field,” junior Titans coach Jamie McCormack said.
“To head over to England and play three games at 16 years of age is an outstanding opportunity - not just from a personal perspective of seeing the world but also in rugby league.
“We’re pleased with Tom’s progression and over the coming years we hope he can develop into something special.”
McCormack said the rise of AJ Brimson through the same pathway to an Australian jersey made him a fine role model for the young halfback.
TITANS ON TOUR: TOM WEAVER, OSCAR BRYANT, REEF SOMERVILLE, ROWAN MANSFIELD, RILEY LACK, JACK CULLEN AND NOAH JOHANNSSEN. RYAN FORAN WITHDREW DUE TO INJURY.