Seagulls could flock to RLGC rivals
THE Gold Coast Titans’ NRL squad for the 2019 season has largely taken shape and if players can stay fit and healthy, coach Garth Brennan will have a stack of welcome selection dilemmas on his hands. Today we look at five juicy battles for spots to keep a
BILAMBIL stalwart Mitch Spackman has thrown open the door for Tweed players to follow 2018 coach Kevin Campion down to the valley.
A number of Seagulls players who made the Rugby League Gold Coast grand final in September are without a home for next season with Tweed’s sole open men’s team going forward being in the statewide Intrust Super Cup competition.
The situation led RLGC management to devise an adjusted transfer system and the Jets are eager to swoop, having already signed Campion to take on the A-grade coaching role.
“They have got to go somewhere and we are probably the next closest club so it would be great to get a few of those boys,” Spackman said.
“Tweed have always got quality players so we would love to have a few come down our way.”
The Jets struggled through a tough season but incumbent captain Spackman believes better things could soon be on the way, with their promising crop of talent such as Ben Robinson-Patch taken under the wing of the renowned hardnosed coaching of Campion.
“That might be just what we need,” Spackman said.
“Having such a young team
FULLBACK:
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HIS is a showdown of the old dog and the young pup. A veteran of 245 NRL games and one State of Origin, Gordon (left) brought a mixture of calmness, experience, professionalism and accurate goal-kicking in his first season in the Gold Coast No.1 jersey.
However, at 35 years of age, his best days are likely behind him and whether he can provide the same zip as 20-year-old
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N the assumption that Tyrone Peachey is deployed in the three-quarter line, Copley and Kelly could well be squabbling over their favoured left centre spot. Copley, 27, has played 32 games for the Titans since joining from the Roosters in early 2017 and particularly found top gear last season before being struck down by injury for the umpteenth time in his career. Nonetheless he has runs on the board, though Kelly’s return to last year was probably our downfall. We still had quite a good team. I think it was just a few young fellas that couldn’t win those tight games.
“His (Campion’s) experience might bring a little bit more of that element to the club hopefully, getting a few tight wins.”
Bilambil made the under-19 preliminary final this year.
“There’s a few guys who are starting to get a bit of experience,” Spackman said. Brimson (right) is up for debate.
Brimson was simply stunning in his rookie campaign, especially getting fans excited when he switched from five-eighth to fullback for the last four games in Gordon’s injury-enforced absence. Brimson is on the back foot early, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but this should be a gripping internal rivalry that may push both players to new heights. Titans colours has come with big expectations. The Ballina and Lennox Head product played under-20s for Gold Coast before Manly swooped and he has now proved himself with two solid seasons of first grade.
Coach Garth Brennan has made a point of talking up the defensive fortitude that 22-year-old
Kelly brings to the table, which could be an advantage given the side have been brittle without the ball for two years.