David EdwardsTurner, Rogers and Carney; Can the Titans Catch a Break?
January 16th 2007 12:15
As the newest franchise, the Gold Coast Titans, are gearing up for their inaugural season in the NRL, the last 24 hours would have hit their side hard.
Since yesterday afternoon, the Titans have lost two first class wingers, Melbourne Steve Turner and Great Britain’s Brian Carney, and had a minor (note I said minor) injury scare to their marquee player Mat Rogers.
After going to hell and back in the past five months in the tussle between themselves and the Storm over Turner, it was all resolved yesterday afternoon when the Titans accepted a compensation package of an undisclosed amount and two Storm juniors, Daniel Isaac and Smith Samau. It would seem that despite fighting tooth and nail over the summer to stake their claim in the talented player, the Titans relented in the 11th hour to focus on using their best players possible to make a place in the NRL.
However, a mere few hours later, they suffered yet another setback when winger Carney announced his immediate retirement from rugby league.
After going through just one training session with his new side, Carney realised that his heart was no longer in the game, and it would be a unreasonable to expect his full support to the long season ahead.
This was after Carney gave a stirring speech to the young players of the side after his training session, but it would seem whilst explaining to the players that their entire heart and soul must be in the game, he realised his wasn’t.
But of course, lets not forget the icing on the cake. As the Titans were running drills, the star rugby union player Mat Rogers seemed to sprain his ankle and was unable to fully complete the training.
Whilst the sprain was nothing, and will not effect Rogers in any way in his preparation of the 2007, it could not come at a worse time. As when the Titans needed to bring a player to the cameras to explain the situation from the team’s perspective, the most iconic player was being iced up after a single training session.
Of course, this all leads to the question, how will this affect the Titans in 2007? To put it bluntly, not one little bit.
Look at the facts. The Turner saga had gone on for long enough that their was no chance he would be playing in the Titans jumper, so the compensation package was a long time coming. Rogers will be rearing to go, and a simple sprain will not even register on the radar.
And as for Carney, well it cannot be said that his role on the wing will be hard to replace. A Tri-nations player, and one of the finest wings who was playing last year, the Titans will have a near to impossible search to find someone of the same stature.
But with that said, they have someone who will be able to fill Carney’s position with no real issues, and that is Chris Walker. Whilst he was on trial, and essentially fighting for the same spot with Carney, he will be able to effectively stroll into that spot with no resistance.
Whilst Carney will be missed, the Titans have not even played a single trial match with him, so they will just go back to the blackboard and figure out their next move without him.
Until next time, sports minds.
Since yesterday afternoon, the Titans have lost two first class wingers, Melbourne Steve Turner and Great Britain’s Brian Carney, and had a minor (note I said minor) injury scare to their marquee player Mat Rogers.
After going to hell and back in the past five months in the tussle between themselves and the Storm over Turner, it was all resolved yesterday afternoon when the Titans accepted a compensation package of an undisclosed amount and two Storm juniors, Daniel Isaac and Smith Samau. It would seem that despite fighting tooth and nail over the summer to stake their claim in the talented player, the Titans relented in the 11th hour to focus on using their best players possible to make a place in the NRL.
However, a mere few hours later, they suffered yet another setback when winger Carney announced his immediate retirement from rugby league.
After going through just one training session with his new side, Carney realised that his heart was no longer in the game, and it would be a unreasonable to expect his full support to the long season ahead.
This was after Carney gave a stirring speech to the young players of the side after his training session, but it would seem whilst explaining to the players that their entire heart and soul must be in the game, he realised his wasn’t.
But of course, lets not forget the icing on the cake. As the Titans were running drills, the star rugby union player Mat Rogers seemed to sprain his ankle and was unable to fully complete the training.
Whilst the sprain was nothing, and will not effect Rogers in any way in his preparation of the 2007, it could not come at a worse time. As when the Titans needed to bring a player to the cameras to explain the situation from the team’s perspective, the most iconic player was being iced up after a single training session.
Of course, this all leads to the question, how will this affect the Titans in 2007? To put it bluntly, not one little bit.
Look at the facts. The Turner saga had gone on for long enough that their was no chance he would be playing in the Titans jumper, so the compensation package was a long time coming. Rogers will be rearing to go, and a simple sprain will not even register on the radar.
And as for Carney, well it cannot be said that his role on the wing will be hard to replace. A Tri-nations player, and one of the finest wings who was playing last year, the Titans will have a near to impossible search to find someone of the same stature.
But with that said, they have someone who will be able to fill Carney’s position with no real issues, and that is Chris Walker. Whilst he was on trial, and essentially fighting for the same spot with Carney, he will be able to effectively stroll into that spot with no resistance.
Whilst Carney will be missed, the Titans have not even played a single trial match with him, so they will just go back to the blackboard and figure out their next move without him.
Until next time, sports minds.
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Comment by StephenP
NRL News
Chris Walker should step up to fill the void left by Carney - he has been extremely focussed at Titans training thus far, and is currently blitzing all competitiors in training sprints. I think he finally realises that this will be his last chance at resurrecting his faltering career in the NRL, hence his positive attitude at training.
While I am one of the few Matt Petersen fans, I beleive that Coach Cartwright should give first shot at the other wing spot to Nat Barnes. Barnes was the leading try scorer in the QRL last year with 22 for Tweed Heads, and has pace to burn. The only other realistc option for the Titans is to play either Rogers, Richie Mathers or Josh Graham on the wing, but I think that Rogers may start at centre, with Mathers at the back.
Just my thoughts,
StephenP
Comment by TheCoach