Herman re-signs and vows to work hard
GOLD Coast forward Herman Ese’ese will play on for the Titans in 2022 after informing club management he would take up the one-year player option clause in his contract.
The 26-year-old veteran of 96 NRL games has featured in just three matches since joining the Titans from the Knights this season on a two-year deal in the vicinity of $400,000 a season.
Head coach Justin Holbrook challenged the out-of-favour middle forward to fight for his place in the team.
“He’s been here, he’s been training. I just don’t see him ahead of the others,” Holbrook said. “You look at Moe (Fotuaika), Tino (Fa’asuamaleaui), Jarrod Wallace as our starting forwards and they’re fantastic.
“Then Sam Lisone has been one of our best off the bench and Jimmy Jolliffe has been consistent all year.
“It’s just a matter of a pecking order. We’re lucky to have all our middles playing really well. He’s just not ahead of the others.”
Ese’ese has not played for the Titans since receiving a threegame suspension for a brain-snap clothesline tackle against Penrith in round 10.
Since then Sam McIntyre and off-contract Jai Whitbread have both been preferred ahead of Ese’ese on the Titans bench.
In a telling sign of how far the seven-Test Kiwi international has slipped down Holbrook’s pecking order, the Titans allowed Whitbread to join Super League cellardwellers Leigh Centurions this week without making an offer.
“It’s just up to Herman now to try to get his opportunity to get ahead of the other guys,” Holbrook said. “If he does he can stay there but at the minute I see the others a bit ahead of him.”
Ese’ese said he was happy to stay and keep working hard to get back into the team.
He said he believed in Holbrook, the club and the direction the team is heading.
Claiming a spot in the matchday 17 will be no easier in 2022 with Sydney Roosters hardman Isaac Liu already signed on to fill Whitbread’s roster position.