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As part of a series profiling the expected Round 1 sides for all 17 NRL clubs in 2025, it’s time to see if the Titans can shed their reputation as the competition’s perennial under-achievers.0
Gold Coast enter their second season with Des Hasler at the helm but the coach is still yet to solve several of question marks over their line-up and whether they can be playoff contenders in 2025.
Hasler put his stamp on the club last season but the results were still modest witht the Titans finishing 14th with an 8-16 record, mainly due to their best player, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui suffering an ACL tear in just the second round of the season. Their campaign was derailed from that point onwards.
The Titans have boosted their roster with the addition of Reagan Campbell-Gillard and former Wallabies five-eighth Carter Gordon’s arrival late last season to get some game time under his belt at Queensland Cup level.
They made a significant investment in Gordon to get him across to league and he could be an X-factor for Gold Coast this season if Hasler can find the best spot for him.
Their finals prospects hinge on whether Fa’asuamaleaui can get back to his best and getting consistent top quality output from David Fifita.
Campbell-Gillard was surprisingly let go by Parramatta after he was their player of the year last season. And after nearly linking with the Dragons, Cowboys and Broncos, he settled on a three-year deal with the Titans.
RCG is still one of the most reliable front rowers in the NRL and he churned through a mountain of work for Parramatta last season. But it remains to be seen whether he is worth the sizeable investment the Titans have made in him.
Gordon was added to the Gold Coast set-up late last season and spent a few rounds in the Queensland Cup, getting used to the 13-player code.
Hasler has been non-committal about where Gordon will play and the former Wallabies playmaker could suit up in the centres, halves or even in the back row.
A bench utility spot is probably the best starting point for him this season.
The Titans have lost a bit of forward depth in the off-season. With veteran middle Isaac Lu heading to the Super League to join the Leigh Leopards, Keenan Palasia heading to Leeds Rhinos and Erin Clark returning to New Zealand to become a Warrior.
Seasoned forward Joe Stimson remains unsigned while Tanah Boyd has taken his utility value to the Warriors.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Hasler has yet to find an effective combination in the halves. He experimented with several players last season without success.
Kiwi veteran Kieran Foran is all but certain to be one of the starting halves with Jayden Campbell, AJ Brimson and Gordon in the mix to be his fellow playmaker. Brimson was used at centre last year even though he prefers fullback but with Keano Kini the breakout star for Gold Coast last season at fullback, the young Kiwi is set to start the season in the No.1 jersey.
RCG, Mo Fotuaika and Fa’asuamaleaui give the Titans a representative quality starting middle forward trio.
With Sam Verrills at hooker and Fifita and Beau Fermor on each edge, their starting pack is formidable but their back-up talent falls away quickly.
And as we saw last year, if injuries strike then the Titans’ depth is very skinny.
1 Keano Kini
2 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
3 AJ Brimson
4 Brian Kelly
5 Jojo Fifita
6 Jayden Campbell
7 Kieran Foran
8 Moraki Fotuaika
9 Sam Verrills
10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11 David Fifita
12 Beau Fermor
13 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
Interchange
14 Carter Gordon
15 Chris Randall
16 Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui
17 Josiah Pahulu
Other squad members: Ben Liyou, Harley Smith-Shields, Klese Haas, Jacob Alick-Weineke, Jaimin Jolliffe, Jaylan de Groot, Ken Maumalo, Phil Sami, Ryan Foran, Ryder Williams, Tony Francis
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