A J HIT BY GROIN INJURY BUT NO CONCERN TO HOLBROOK
TITANS coach Justin Holbrook is confident Origin star AJ Brimson will be fit to make his switch to five-eighth in Gold Coast’s NRL season opener against Parramatta. Brimson has been struck down by a groin injury a week before the Titans’ season opener against the red-hot Eels at CommBank Stadium next Saturday night.
It is an untimely injury for Brimson, who is yet to make a playing appearance this year after his pre-season switch from fullback to five-eighth. The Maroons utility was rested from Gold Coast’s first trial against the Broncos and was set to start at No.6 against the Warriors before the match was abandoned due to Queensland’s floods.
That means the Titans’ new-look halves pairing of rookie halfback Toby Sexton and former fullback Brimson have not been road-tested before the season proper begins next week.
Sexton and Brimson have lost more training time with the latter’s groin problem this week, but Holbrook is confident Brimson is ready to fire after vacating his favoured No.1 jersey for Jayden Campbell. “He’s handled it really well, we’re confident in the way he’s trained this preseason,” Holbrook said.
“He has already played there coming through (the grades) and is so good defensively. He is strong and hits hard. He likes being in the front line of your defence. That’s always an exciting benefit.
“We know most halves aren’t the best defenders on the field, but AJ is really good and prides himself on that. He is getting more say with the ball as well. I really like those factors. We can free up ‘JC’ (Campbell) to roam and get his hands on the ball.”
The Warriors trial was to determine the make-up of Holbrook’s final 17 for the Eels opener. Instead, he will spend the weekend pondering who makes his first team of the season as he has a full complement of players from which to choose.
Veteran backrower Kevin Proctor could miss out while Tanah Boyd and former Eel Will Smith are locked in a duel for the benchutility role.
Holbrook must also settle on a forwards rotation, with Jarrod Wallace, Sam Lisone, Herman Ese’ese and Jaimin Jolliffe fighting for spots. “That second trial would have helped a few guys out,” Holbrook said.