Titans cap historic 24 hours with Bai re-signing
Joel Gould |
Gold Coast may look back on this month as “Fabulous February” and a turning point in their history after boom forward Cooper Bai extended his deal until the end of 2028.
The vital signature of 19-year-old Bai came 24 hours after captain and Test prop Tino Fa’asumalaeaui confirmed he was staying at the club until the end of 2030.
A month ago those decisions were in flux.
Bai was all but out the door to Melbourne before he decided to cool his heels and get the lay of the land under recently-installed coach Josh Hannay.
He clearly liked what he saw, so much so that he was able to reject the Storm and their mastercoach Craig Bellamy and commit his future, for the next three years at least, to the Titans.
Aside from Melbourne’s proven systems there was romance about the Storm for Bai, considering it is where his legendary father Marcus won the 1999 NRL premiership.
The decisions by Bai and the skipper have implications not just for this season but well into the future.
Despite all the pre-season optimism surrounding Hannay and his new methods, vociferously expressed by the players, it would have all come to nought had Fa’asuamaleaui and Bai left.
Fa’asuamaleaui’s manager Simon Mammino summed it up when he explained why his client committed his future and rebuffed interest from Perth Bears.
“Tino really likes Josh Hannay and what he has done so far at the club,” Mammino told AAP.
“It was Josh that got it over the line. His coaching ability and honesty have really impressed, not only Tino but all the boys.
“Tino is very loyal and always believed in the Titans. He wouldn’t have signed there otherwise.”
You don’t get a bigger vote of confidence than that.
Bai, a Gold Coast junior, had a memorable debut against Wests Tigers last year and good judges predict he will be a representative player for a decade. He has already represented Papua New Guinea.
“The Gold Coast has always been my home and I’m proud that will continue,” Bai said.
“Making my NRL debut last year for my hometown was a dream come true and the Titans have given me a great opportunity to continue my professional rugby league journey with the close support of my family and friends.”
Hannay was naturally over the moon to retain Bai.
“What excites us most is he’s yet another player from our pathways that has committed to the future of this club, having been a Titan his entire life,” he said.
“He continues to impress with his work ethic, physicality and commitment and brings great energy to our group through his application to training and hunger to better himself every day.”
For those who have been enmeshed in the Titans for 19 years it has been a saga of wooden spoons, sacked coaches, false dawns, a centre of excellence financial collapse and a drugs scandal that ended up with the NRL running the club for a short period.
All of that drama is in the past.
There is a sense that with a new ownership structure, headed by the Frizelle family, the Titans are getting their act together in the front office where the great Jack Gibson said success has its foundation.
AAP
