Gold Coast Titans
| File:Gold Coast Titans.gif | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gold Coast Titans |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
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| CEO |  Michael Searle |
| Coach | John Cartwright |
| Competition | National Rugby League |
| 2006 | Did not play |
The Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football team based on the Gold Coast in Queensland. They are the newest team to compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership.
The Titans commenced their inaugural season on March 18, 2007, at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. They are the second first grade rugby league team to have been based on the Gold Coast, the first being the ill-fated Gold Coast Giants/Seagulls/Chargers, which existed from 1988 to 1998.
History
Main article: Gold Coast Titans History
Also see: Gold Coast Giants/Seagulls/Chargers
The beginnings of the Gold Coast's bid to return to the National Rugby League began when the Gold Coast Chargers were axed at the end of the 1998 season by the Australian Rugby League half of the merged competition as part of the rationalisation process that would bring the number of teams down from 20 to 14.
The push for re-instatement began in earnest in 2003, with Michael Searle and former Chargers boss Paul Broughton pressuring the NRL to allow them to enter in 2006. By 2004 the group was labelled as "The Gold Coast Consortium" by the media, and during an episode of Channel Nine's The Footy Show at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre announced their team name and jersey to the public. Initially the team was to be named the Gold Coast Dolphins, with the colours being white, jade and orange. While the Dolphins moniker was popular among many, the Queensland Cup's Redcliffe Dolphins saw it as a threat to any prospects of entering the NRL that they had, and as a result threatened severe legal action if the Gold Coast used the Dolphins name
In mid-2004 the NRL announced that after viewing submissions from the Gold Coast Dolphins, the Central Coast Bears and the Wellington Orcas, there would not be a 16th team in the 2006 NRL Competition. The major hurdles for the Gold Coast team, which was by far the favourite to get the nod if the 16th license was granted, was the use of the Dolphins name, and that their homeground, Carrara Stadium, was an oval and only seated 16,000(although it has been known to fit in 23,000).
Although their bid was knocked back, the consortium continued to push for a Gold Coast NRL team, changing the entry year to 2007. The Queensland Government soon announced they would spend $100 million on a new, 25,000-seat rectangular stadium for the Gold Coast should they be accepted into the 2007 competition. NRL CEO David Gallop announced on May 27, 2005 that the Gold Coast was to be the 16th team in the 2007 NRL season.
The Titans won their first ever game of football on the 24th of February, 2007, defeating the Parramatta Eels 22-10 in a trial match in front of 8,612 people at Lismore's Oakes Oval.
Crest and Colours
Although they were accepted into the National Rugby League, they were without a name after they dropped "Dolphins" to avoid legal action from the Redcliffe Dolphins. The consortium aligned themselves with Gold Coast Radio Stadium Sea FM, and set up a competition in which listeners could submit possible names for the new team. This was shortlisted into ten names, which through online voting on www.goldcoastrugbyleague.com.au was shortened to three: Titans, Stingers and Pirates. Online voting continued, this time on the more-frequented NRL.com, with team being branded as the Gold Coast Titans on 21 September, 2005.
After the team name was chosen, fans were given six jerseys to vote for on the club's website www.titans.com.au, with option 6 ultimately being successful.
Stadium
For their first season in the National Rugby League, the Titans will be playing out of Carrara Stadium on Nerang-Broadbeach Road, until construction of the 25,000-seat Robina Stadium, now known as Skilled Park through sponsorship, is completed in time for 2008. Carrara Stadium was cited as one of the main reasons the Gold Coast bid were rejected in their first attempt to rejoin the NRL as Carrara only seated around 16,000, and was an oval.
Work on the new stadium commenced at the end of 2005, and the facility will be ready for play by the start of the 2008 NRL season. The project being managed by the same company behind the construction of Suncorp Stadium and Telstra Stadium and the re-development of the Gabba, two of Queenslands most famous stadiums. The new stadium will have a capacity of up to 25,000 people.
Current squad
Although other players may play for the Gold Coast Titans during the year, all NRL clubs are required to select a top 25 First Grade squad at the beginning of the season. Below is a list of 27 players, which will soon be ranked by their cap number at the Gold Coast Titans.
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- On the 15th of January it was announced that Steve Turner who had originally signed with the Titans but had a change of heart and later signed with his current club at the time the Melbourne Storm would remain at the The Storm in exchange for financial compensation from the club, as well as both fullback Smith Samau and centre Daniel Isaac, both young rising stars who were contracted with The Storm.
- On the 16th of January Great Britain international player Brian Carney, who had signed a two-year deal with the Titans, pulled out of his contract and retired from Rugby League altogether to return home to Ireland. In much controversey Carney began playing professional Rugby Union once he returned to Ireland.
Coaches
John Cartwright 2007 -
Feeder Clubs
Since their instatement in the National Rugby League for Season 2007, the Titans have aligned themselves with three Queensland Cup clubs:
Sponsorship
The Gold Coast Titans officially became the “Jetstar Gold Coast Titans”, on the 20th September 2006, with the announcement of a five year multi million dollar naming rights sponsorship with Qantas owned Jetstar Airways.
James Frizelle's Automotive Group & Audi Centre Gold Coast signed on as the first major sponsorship partner for the franchise, a deal signed for the next 3 years.
Castlemaine Perkins, brewer of XXXX, has announced a five year sponsorship agreement with the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans, taking the deal through until 2011. Under the XXXX BITTER brand, Castlemaine Perkins is now a Platinum Sponsor of the Titans.
Records and Trivia
- Matt Peterson scored the first indivual hat trick of tries against the knights in round 15 of the NRL
- Chris Walker had scored the clubs first Try/Conversion ever in a trial match against Melbourne and again in their opening NRL premiership match against the Dragons.
- Preston Campbell was the very first signing to the Gold Coast Titans.
- Preston Campbell and David Myles are the only current players to play with 2 Gold Coast teams. They played with the Gold Coast Chargers in 1998.
- The Titans first ever match was played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the home ground of the Brisbane Broncos due to the huge demand of fans wanting to see the team in action.
- There have been suggestions that the Titans intend to include the playing records of a previous club based on the Gold Coast, the Chargers[1].The official NRL position regarding this remains to be seen.
- Scott Prince & Luke Bailey will be 2007 co-captains.
- 'The Legion' are the main supporters group of the Gold Coast Titans http://www.titans.com.au//forum/forumdisplay.php?f=27
- The Titans jersey colours are designed on 'the best of the Gold Coast'. Surf, Sun & Sand.
- The Titans first ever on field victory was against the Parramatta Eels on the 24th February 2007 in a trial match. Winning 22-10.
- In the Titans inaugural match in the NRL they lost 18-20 to the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
- The Titans won their second official NRL match, defeating the Cronulla Sharks 18-16 at Carrara Stadium on the 26th March, 2007.
See also
References
- ^ "Gold Coast to integrate player records". Titans Official Forum. January 19, 2006.
External links
- Official Gold Coast Titans Website
- Titans selected as name for Gold Coast team
- National Rugby League Official Website
- Daily Telegraph - Gold Coast Titans 2007 season feature
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