Gold Coast Titans

[Philhawk]

Just wondering, but who is planning to be a Gold Coast Titans fan amongst us all?

I bet you guys cant wait for the new season! The Storm will go easy on you in the first Practice match in Feb.

 

[emperor]

Wouldn't say I'll be a fan so to speak, but will follow their progress closely being a Brisbane boy. I don't follow any rugby league team in particular, just like to see the Queensland teams do well.

My interest in the Titans more or less stems from the ridiculous amount of coverage Billy Johnstone's pre season training regime is receiving in the Courier Mail, and I for one am keen to see how they stack up this season.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Can anyone post a projected starting line-up and bench of the team?

 

[year of the roo]

Can anyone post a projected starting line-up and bench of the team?

<insert 17 names, none of whom going by the name 'Steve Turner'>

 

[tugga]

Can't say I blame the Titans really. They wanted Turner and they are going after him balls and all. So they should. New team will be wanting to be as competitive as possible as early as possible.
What I am disappointed in, is the NRL for taking sides. In my opinion the NRL should be neutral on this issue and not jumping to the defence of any side, be it Gold Coast or Melbourne.
I do hope, though, that Steve is allowed to stay at Olympic Park.

 

[Philhawk]

Can't say I blame the Titans really. They wanted Turner and they are going after him balls and all. So they should. New team will be wanting to be as competitive as possible as early as possible.
What I am disappointed in, is the NRL for taking sides. In my opinion the NRL should be neutral on this issue and not jumping to the defence of any side, be it Gold Coast or Melbourne.
I do hope, though, that Steve is allowed to stay at Olympic Park.

Spot on, tugga. That's what I hate about this situation. Since when does the governing body take sides with one club against the other? The NRL have even gone so far as to say that they'll reject the contract with the Storm - even if Melbourne win at the courts?

That's just biased and I have to say, extremely stupid.

 

[sainter]

Last time I checked this was the Rugby League board so I can't understand why both Spewing and Warwick have had to resort to AFL parallels to defend the Titans.

As it's nothing to do with the AFL there's no need to take either of you to task over the claims that the Melbourne clubs get the preferential treatment. Like we were the ones getting more money in the salary cap for a number of years.

 

[Warwick]

Yes, wishing a team fails because they stood up to you. Such pettiness.

 

[The Dice Man]

I'll probably be buying a membership. They're gonna have an awesome team for their debut year.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Why? Is it because someone stood up to Melbourne - something you are not used to in the AFL. Get over Turner, he is hardly a superstar. How does it feel to be an interstate side in a national competition?

I hate the organisation already, not because they stood up to Melbourne, i would hope that Melbourne would stand up for themself, which they are, I despise this team already because it is clear already that the NRL will do whatever it takes to ensure they suceed, proof in the fact that they are taking sides with the Titans when they should be neutral.
And spewing i know it may be hard for you to comprehend with your limited brain power, but it is possible to be both an AFL supporter and an NRL supporter

 

[POBT]

As it's nothing to do with the AFL there's no need to take either of you to task over the claims that the Melbourne clubs get the preferential treatment. Like we were the ones getting more money in the salary cap for a number of years.

Way to lead by example, Moderator.

 

[tugga]

There is an alternative to the NRL being biased and taking sides - that they actually believe that the Gold Coast have done nothing wrong.

Just a thought.

But there's no alternative that you speak of. Fact - the NRL has taken sides. That's the thing. Whether they believe they are right or wrong, they have still taken sides. A neutral governing body has taken a definite side on this argument and that makes the whole fiasco, grossly unfair.
Neither side has done anything wrong in my opinion. Gold Coast had a verbal agreement from Turner for a three-year deal. They want him to honour it. Fair enough. As I've said before, I have no complaints with the Titans.
Melbourne convinced him to stay before any signature was scribbled onto a piece of paper. They have a right to follow that through as well. I'm glad they are taking a stance.
And all the while Turner himself wants to stay. His choice - doesn't make him right or wrong, only right for himself if you know what I mean.
In the meantime, the NRL sides with the Titans, when as a governing body, they should be remaining neutral as any other governing body would.
I'll state again that I have no beef with the Titans whatsover. Good on them for digging their heels in and setting a precedent for their club for the future.
But, in my opinion, the NRL's stance stinks. And it's a stench that is not going to go away.

 

[Warwick]

People are tending to forget this is not solely about the Gold Coast Titans - this is about Steve Turner. There have been instances where this has happened before (see Gordon Tallis in 1996). Tallis was not allowed to play for the broncos that year because the rules did not allow it. He was forced to make a decision as well - fulfil his contract, or spend a year on the sidelines. Tallis missed an entire year because he wanted to play for Brisbane. Turner faces the same decision.

This is a decision that is forced, not by the proposed anti-Storm NRL agenda, but by the rule book. The titans obviously see Turner as a required player next year, hence their insistence he fulfills his word. I don't know why they have pushed so strongly for him, considering he has shown reluctance for playing with them, but they are entitled to do that. The Titans have recently decided to offer a compromise (something that they did not have to do). Therefore, Turner can spend 3 years on the sidelines, or spend a year with the Titans and make his decision. Playing with Melbourne in season 2007 is not an option.

I think it is very encouraging to see the way the new club has handled the situation. They are not going to be bullied and end up at the same place previous Gold Coast teams have gone. They have recruited hard workers and talented players, a good coach, and a fantastic support staff. The new stadium is being constructed, and there is a buzz, not just around the Coast, but throughout the entire South East corner. Previous Coast teams were a place for party-goers and retirees. That is not going to happen this time around. Players at their prime like Prince and Bailey would not leave their successful clubs to join a sub-par team.

I am not a Titans supporter. However, they have gained a lot of respect out of this whole situation - something that is reflected in the Queensland and NSW media. On the other hand, Turner has been made to look like a sook who is having a bit of a tantrum.

 

[POBT]

A neutral governing body has taken a definite side on this argument

Does that mean that a governing body can't make a decision that favours one party over the other? Governing requires taking sides. Every decision helps someone and hinders someone else. That doesn't mean a loss of neutrality. In my opinion, the NRL had to take a position. In my opinion, they took the right one. That is from someone who is geniunely neutral.

If you look at fault, the only party to which no fault could possibly attach is the Gold Coast. Stupidity or naivety is different and I still can't believe that they took that long to get the paperwork finalised.

But Steve Turner, in the view of just about everyone except Steve Turner, is most certainly at fault for accepting an offer from the Titans (thereby forming a contract - surely no-one is still arguing that point) and then ignoring the existence of that agreement. The Melbourne Storm might argue that they were not at fault but I find that hard to believe given the sheer weight of evidence in the public domain that suggested that Turner had an agreement with the Titans. At the least, I believe they wilfully closed their eyes to the situation and chose to believe the Turner story.

 

[Calthorpe14]

I hope for the sake of rugby league on the gold coast that it works out. If not that could spell the death of the game there.

 

[stmookeyj]

Can anyone post a projected starting line-up and bench of the team?

Give or take a few, but here's a squad and a possible lineup

1. Richie Mathers
2. Brian Carney
3. Jake Webster
4. Lalea Paea
5. Matt Petersen
6. Preston Campbell
7. Scott Prince
8. Luke Bailey
9. Nathan Friend
10. Frank Puletua
11. Brad Meyers
12. Anthony Laffranchi
13. Luke Swain
-------------------------------------------
14. Matt Hilder/Luke O'Dwyer
15. Michael Hodgson
16. Michael Henderson
17. James Stosic
--------------------------------------------
18. Brett Delaney
19. Josh Graham
20. Gavin Cooper
21. Daniel Conn
22. Clint Amos
23. Mark Minichiello
24. Hilder/O'Dwyer
25. Steve Turner??????????

 

[Calthorpe14]

That side looks capable if they get some luck with injuries and they gel pretty quickly to be able to push for a top 8 spot next season.

 

[emperor]

25. Steve Turner??????????

Don't mention Steve Turner

 

[sainter]

Way to lead by example, Moderator.

All I tried to do was get the topic back on track. In hindsight I shouldn't have added the second sentence. A lot of AFL supporters in Victoria feel strongly about salary cap concessions. There are 10 Victorian clubs and not all receive the same privileges so it's not just a Victoria vs intersate thing. I just wanted to make that point to the original poster because I don't think that's what is going on in the Steve Turner debate either. You are right though. It wasn't needed.

I'm not a Moderator on this board and I wasn't going to step on the toes of the current mods who do a good job.

I won't apologise for having an opinion though. If I wasn't allowed to say what I thought I wouldn't be a Moderator and plenty of others would feel the same way.

Anyway back on topic, I suppose the thing that a lot of us with an AFL background are failing to understand is the manner in which Steve is being forced into playing for a club he doesn't want to play for. In AFL we are generally used to clubs delisting/trading a player who doesn't want to be there. On one hand I can understand the Titans wanting to play hard ball and not be perceived as being weak but the other is having an unhappy player there against his wishes. That can't be good for the morale of the players. They've put together a very good squad who can't wait to play for the club. They are the players they should be building a team around.