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2026 it is then?We will not be bullied': Titans bite back at Bulldogs after poaching raid on rookie of the year
Gold Coast have denied a release request from the management of Titans rookie-of-the-year Josiah Pahulu to join Canterbury.
The 20-year-old, signed until the end of 2025, emerged in 2024 as the club’s most promising young forward.
The dispute has arisen, AAP has been told, over an alleged $40,000 bonus Pahulu would have received had he played 20 matches in the most recent season. He played 19 games.
Pahulu played the round-24 clash against St George Illawarra. The Titans subsequently said in a release he would miss the next week’s showdown against Sydney Roosters with an abductor injury.
He returned against Newcastle in the 36-14 loss in 20 minutes off the interchange bench but did not play after that.
AAP has been told the Titans will “not be bullied” into releasing Pahulu.
There is no doubt he impressed the people that count at the Titans after captain and prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was rubbed out for the season with a knee injury.
It is why Pahulu is a player the Titans want to keep.
“He was super for us,” Titans playmaker Kieran Foran said. “He jumped out of the ground, Josiah. Off the back of Tino’s ACL injury we needed a young guy to stand up and he certainly filled that void for us.
“He was amazing. I am not too sure what is happening on his contract side of things. That will work itself out but he is training at the moment and he looks like he is ripping in and we are happy to have him.”
The Titans provided a generic comment on the Pahulu saga.
“Our club policy is that we don’t comment publicly on recruitment and retention, which applies to this case like all others,” CEO Steve Mitchell said.
“All contracts are confidential between employee and employer and therefore, the club can’t speak to specific details outlined in the playing contract.”
Veteran Foran, who captained the Titans side last season, is more than happy to let Queensland prop Fa’asuamaleaui take over in 2025.
“Tino is our captain and our leader,” he said.
“He missed the bulk of last season, going down with that unfortunate ACL injury, and was a huge loss for us.
“He will come straight back into that captaincy role. He is the leader of this club and he will be back and we’ll get behind him. I will be there to support him throughout the season.”
Pahulu’s management has been contacted for comment.
Shit idk if I can answer all that wrighty but my general feeling is losing Harris, walker and capewell (I thought next year was his last tbh but for the purpose of this exercise) and their spots in the squad are taken by Neale, Crosby and iremia (for example) we would be looking pretty light on experience.I am going to have a stew about your answer for a while so I can learn from it. A couple of clarification questions in the mean time.
1) Why is Capewell on that three pronged list. I can see the emminent threat of a void that Tohu Harris and Walker will create as they are only signed to the end of 2025. Capewell is signed to the end of 2026 so his "void" is less immediate.
2) The above Capewell quibble aside if we lose the leadership of Capewell, Harris and Walker and replaced them with rookies or our juniors our leaderhip stocks still look ok. We would still have JFH, Barnett, Egan, RTS and Dallin. JFH and Dallin are former Kiwis Captains. And Barnett, RTS AND Egan have all captained the Warriors. How many more leaders do we need? If anything based on some metrics Wizards of Tauranga reported we had one of the most experienced teams in the league in 2024 certainly the oldest.
3) I looked up all those players
Egan got his career going at 21 years old off the back of 18 games in reserve grade split over two seasons
Dallin started his NRL career in earnest for Penrith at 18 years old off the back of one reserve grade game
RTS - began at 18 years old for Roosters playing 6 games his first year and 25 games the next. As far as I can see he has never played a game of reserve grade. Straight into first grade.
Barnett - Barnett debuted at 21 but didn't have a decent string of games until 23 years old. He played 29 reserve grade games over two years
JFH - Played 23 games in his debut year for Penrith when 20 years old off the back of 7 games of reserve grade as a 19 year old.
4) "We had a boom crop of youngsters coming through- probably better than the current batch- everyone was convinced they were gonna be world beaters (myself included) so we put all our eggs in their basket but the future never arrived". How about this time we are more balanced and put some of our eggs in the basket but not all. As I mentioned in the recruitment thread if I was listening correctly Cappy appears to be putting some eggs in the youngsters as he said or I thought I heard him say we are holding off some our 2026 recruiting decisions until we get a read on some of our juniors and up and comers.
So while we have several aged 30+ veterans the top sides offload them by then.Shit idk if I can answer all that wrighty but my general feeling is losing Harris, walker and capewell (I thought next year was his last tbh but for the purpose of this exercise) and their spots in the squad are taken by Neale, Crosby and iremia (for example) we would be looking pretty light on experience.
If u look at last years grand final sides-
View attachment 10451
There’s not a lot of rookies in that lot.
Alamoti is the outlier at 20 while tago, turuva and howarth are 22 (notice they’re all outside backs).
Every other player who took part in that game are aged between 24-30.
Bulldogs have been reportedly interested in every player in the NRL.Transfer battle for Leo Thompson gains a new player as he meets with rival
He is yet to confirm his future beyond next season.www.zerotackle.com
Eels have joined the pursuit of Leo Thompson now apparently. The mole now reckons bulldogs are firm favourites though
Brought not bredBulldogs have been reportedly interested in every player in the NRL.
Flanagan assembling a good team. If Flanagan jnr can lead them around the park, with perhaps another solid front rower they going to be a threat. $1.5 million over 3 years apparentlyFlanno’s Red V revolution continues with $1.5m Shark poaching — Free Agency LIVE
Flanno’s Red V revolution continues with $1.5m Shark poaching — Free Agency LIVEwww.foxsports.com.au
I’m hoping that the rhetoric is directed more at the dragons than us surrounding the dark pathHope he goes well. Should get at least a few first grade games there.
Yeah, I don't think we have done anything wrong in terms of how we have dealt with him and what we have offered. The only blemish for us would be any handling of that initial shoulder injury that caused the Dragons to back trackI’m hoping that the rhetoric is directed more at the dragons than us surrounding the dark path
Hope he goes well. Should get at least a few first grade games there.
Very good cup player. Thought he just had a lift in first grade when he injured his finger. If he hadn't hurt his hand I think he would have gotten more games. Worked out well for us with Metcalf coming in instead though.Watched his Cup 2023 highlights the other day. Forgot how good he was at that level that season.
Reece Robson set to leave the cowboys. Roosters are firming as favourites to secure his signature.