FORMER Milton-Ulladulla Bulldog Justin Holbrook has announced his first squad as Gold Coast Titans head coach, naming a strong 18-man line-up, including Kiama product Mitch Rein, for the NRL Nines at Perth's HBF Park on February 14 and 15.
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Fittingly for Nines football, Holbrook has gone with heavy focus on attack, and an exciting mix of youth and experience, new faces and familiar names for the Titans' trip west.
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Former Titans fullback Michael Gordon will return from a short retirement to play for Gold Coast again, while off-season recruits Jonus Pearson, Jaimin Joliffe, Greg Leleisiuao and Erin Clark will make their first appearances for the Club.
There is plenty of star-power in the Titans squad, with regular first graders AJ Brimson, Anthony Don, Tyrone Peachey, Phil Sami, Tanah Boyd, Ash Taylor, Jai Whitbread, Rein, Sam Stone, Bryce Cartwright and Jai Arrow all getting the chance to blow out the off-season cobwebs in Perth.
Excitingly, Holbrook has also provided an opportunity for some of the Titans' young guns in Treymain Spry and Darius Farmer to prove themselves on the big stage - hopefully using the Nines as a springboard towards an NRL debut and regular game time in 2020.
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The Titans begin their Nines campaign in Perth against last year's NRL grand finalists, the Canberra Raiders on Friday, February 14, before meeting the Wests Tigers on the Saturday to push for a spot in the tournament finals.
In other Kiama Knights news, fellow junior product Josh Morris will line-up for the Sharks in Perth, while his twin brother Brett is expected to be in the Roosters squad for their World Challenge Cup clash with St Helens.
Titans squad: 1. AJ Brimson, 2. Anthony Don, 3. Tyrone Peachey, 4. Jonus Pearson, 5. Phil Sami, 6. Tanah Boyd, 7. Ash Taylor, 8. Jai Whitbread, 9. Mitch Rein, 10. Sam Stone, 11. Bryce Cartwright, 12. Jaimin Joliffe, 13. Jai Arrow, 14. Greg Leleisiuao, 15. Treymain Spry, 16. Erin Clark, 17. Darius Farmer and 18. Michael Gordon.