Gulls to be fed strong Titans list

The Seagulls’ new Intrust Super Cup depth is set to be extended with a strong component of Gold Coast-contracted players allocated to the Gulls in 2017.

While details of allocations of Titans players to each of their feeder teams, the Seagulls and Burleigh Bears, are not quite finalised the line-up of Titans’ hand-downs will be a big boost to the Gulls’ premiership chances in 2017.

Backs Will Zillman and John Olive, utility Karl Lawton who made his NRL debut last season and seasoned forward Ryan Simpkins – who all played for the Gulls last season – remain on the list.

Leivaha Pulu, who quickly developed after debuting with the Titans at the start of last season, is another who will be a Seagull should he not make the Titans’ line-up at any stage (he played one game with Burleigh in 2016).

New breed NRL squad members Morgan Boyle, Kurt Bernard, Ben Nakubuwai and Max King (still eligible for under-20s) are others who come into Seagulls selection reckoning when not chosen in the Titans NRL 18-man squad.

Then there is one of the Gulls’ best last year, back-rower Sam Saville, who has been trialling for a Titans contract but, whatever his fate, will remain in the Seagulls system.

The wild card could be late Titans signing Daniel Vidot who returned from the English Super League and will be locked in a selection tussle with the likes of Zillman, Olive, Anthony Don and Nathan Davis for an NRL opening round start for the Titans against Sydney Roosters.

The Titans are still in discussions with their feeder teams and football management on where Vidot and Agnatius Paasi, a dominant figure for the Titans in 2016 but who will be a late starter to this season because of off-season shoulder surgery, will be slotted. One, or both, could be assigned to the Seagulls.

Chief executive Scott Clark said he expected confirmation of feeder team allocations will be finalised by the end of next week in time for round one selections in the NRL and Q Cup competition.

“It’s a process you go through every year of allocating the Titans players although you don’t know how much game time you get from them at Q Cup level,” said the former Titans football manager.

“Our coach Aaron Zimmerle is focussing on the squad he has spent all the pre- season with and who will be his nucleus, and he is happy with the quality and depth.

“But we are an NRL feeder team as well and it can be a real bonus to have players who are pushing for NRL positions filtering back into your squad.

“There’s a good balance there and already props Kurt Bernard and Ben Nakubuwai showed what they can do in the trial against the Knights while Ryan Simpkins has always given 100 per cent for the Seagulls, and Morgan Boyle and Max King were class under-20s players last year and would be handy pick-ups.”

The confirmed allocations are:

NRL SQUAD: Sam Saville, Ryan Simpkins, William Zillman, Kurt Bernard, Morgan Boyle, Karl Lawton, Ben Nakubuwai, John Olive, Leivaha Pulu.

UNDER-20s who may get senior experience: Phillip Sami, Max King.