Randall leaves rake behind for new Titans position
Joel Gould |
Chris Randall is the latest Gold Coast player to embrace a positional switch, with his days as a hooker over as he moves into the middle for the 2026 season.
Randall has started in the No.9 in 50 of his 97 NRL games for Newcastle and the Titans and last year finished the season in the second row under then coach Des Hasler.
Last week Gold Coast forward Klese Haas announced that he was no longer an edge forward.
“I’m not a back-rower any more. I am a middle now,” Haas said.
New Titans coach Josh Hannay has made a suite of changes to the roster with 12 players from last year’s squad no longer with the club.
He has also made significant calls on where players will line up and given them certainty over their initial positions in the team.
Randall is already a versatile footballer so if there are injuries he can slot in to a variety of positions but he is glad to have certainty around his role in 2026.
“When Josh first came he chatted to me about trying to lock down one position and giving me that chance to actually get the reps in at the one position,” Randall said.
“I have been training in the middle and not getting moved around. I haven’t had that for a while these past couple of pre-seasons.
“I am always happy to jump in where I have to and help the team but it can be a bit of a blessing and a curse. You miss the reps at the one position and you can’t kick on and get better at the one spot because you keep changing.
“At the moment I have just been training in the middle and I am really enjoying it. Hopefully I can build off that this year.”
Haas and Randall will join an impressive middle forward rotation which includes Queensland representatives Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika, along with workhorse Jaiman Jolliffe.
Sam Verrills will start at hooker and the Titans have back-up in that position with last year’s Queensland Cup player of the year Oliver Pascoe and former Penrith rake Luke Sommerton joining the club.
At this stage it appears that hooker is not a position Randall will be required to play at all in 2026.
“I haven’t been a hooker at all this pre-season. We have got a few numbers at hooker this year which helps,” Randall said.
“I don’t think I will be a hooker this year.”
Fa’asuamaleaui can play at No.13 or front row but if Hannay elects to go with the Test star at prop then Randall has a shot at solidifying the starting lock spot.
“Everyone would love to be starting,” Randall said.
“We are all competing for spots. Nothing is ever set in stone and we have got trials coming up and I think Josh will have a few decisions to make.
“All I can do is keep training my best and hopefully I can get a starting spot, if not on the bench.”
AAP
