Politoni says Titans are up for the fight
sign a deal for next year, with the void of a head coach at the Titans since Neil Henry was axed leaving his future at the club up in the air.
The Burleigh Bears 2016 premiership winner considered walking away from rugby league less than two years ago but has rediscovered his love of the game and is desperate to keep his first grade dream alive.
Having previously lined up for Wests Tigers and Cronulla, Politoni wants to stay at the Gold Coast but is prepared to look elsewhere if need be.
“I feel like I have got a lot to offer still,” he told the Bulletin, after clinching the Queensland Cup hooker of the year award.
“I’m open to going to any club that will give me an opportunity. I just know my ability and that I can really offer a lot to a club if I get a shot.
“I love the lifestyle and the opportunity that is presented up here on the Gold Coast. But if it’s not meant to be I’m not going to quit, I’m going to keep fighting as I have done my whole career and keep working hard and hopefully that chance falls into my hands.”
A top-drawer performance against the classy Roosters would also help his bid for World Cup selection for Tonga, who he has represented on three occasions.
UBET has installed Gold Coast as $8 outsiders for the Round 26 contest at Allianz Stadium but Politoni believes the patched-up squad including a mix of rookies and off- contract players will be fired up for a performance.
“There’s always an underdog and you can never count any team out,” he said.
“We’re going to have a lot of young guys in and even though we will have the inexperience, we will have guys that want to play and are really going to buy into the system and they are just going to be really happy to be in there and wear that jersey.
“So the excitement and all that could override everything else.”
The Titans must defeat the Roosters to avoid a club record seventh straight loss. REFEREES UBET TV
The Titans hold a slight edge head-to-head, including winning four of six meetings at Allianz. The Roosters however won at Robina this year 32-18.
If the Roosters cross first, expect them to go on with the job. The tricolours have won 11 of 14 games when they’ve scored first, while the Titans are 3-12 when conceding the opening try.
The Titans have never lost seven matches in a row. Their current six-game drought equals their previous worst runs in 2014 (twice) and 2011.