The 2022 NRL season isn’t far away so Oscar Pannifex and Jason Oliver are previewing all 16 clubs before Round 1. Up next, it’s the Gold Coast Titans who are looking to reach back-to-back finals for the first time since 2010.
Gold Coast Titans 2022 Season Preview:
- The 2021 NRL Season In 200 Words
- Predicted Profile In 2022
- Breakout Season Candidates: Moeaki Fotuaika, Greg Marzhew
- Sections Wishlist: Will Smith at hooker, Paul Turner
- SuperCoach Game Theory
- Notepad: Less Fifita the better?
- Predictions: Peak, Pass & Pit
The 2021 NRL Season In 200 Words
We’re looking back at the Gold Coast Titans 2021 Season Review for a quick recap on how it all played out.
Potential has been synonymous with the Gold Coast Titans for a few years now but in 2021 they finally delivered. The club splashed the cash on big-name signings David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, and while neither played to their full potential this season, they both did enough to see the Titans play finals football. Their Week 1 finals loss to the Sydney Roosters will be unfairly remembered for Patrick Herbert’s match-deciding play in the final seconds when we should be celebrating Gold Coast’s ability to keep it that close against a premier club, injuries aside.
Inconsistency hurt the Titans this season. Inconsistencies in their lineup due to injuries and form translated into inconsistent performances on the field. AJ Brimson was never quite at full fitness while Holbrook couldn’t settle on a five-eighth and hooker to partner Jamal Fogarty in the halves. As a result, the Titans struggled to create repeatable actions in attack due to a lack of combination and cohesion across the field.
In their rotation of play makers, the Titans unearthed a next-gen talent in Jayden Campbell while rookie halfback Toby Sexton also had some promising moments. It’s enough to think the Titans are still on the up.
Predicted Profile In 2022
What will the Titans attack look like this season? We take a stab at profiling their playing style ahead of Round 1 of the 2022 NRL season.
I’m expecting Gold Coast’s left edge to feature heavily in 2022. AJ Brimson might be the five-eighth but he’s also the more experienced play maker and I think we’ll see him in a dominant ball playing role primarily down the left edge while Toby Sexton controls the right.
Brimson has reliable hole runners in Kevin Proctor and Beau Fermor as backrower options on that side along with strike attacking centre Brian Kelly out wider. Philip Sami is a handy finisher on the wing and they’ve now got a kid called Jayden Campbell who can link it all together.
I’ve already covered this in our 22 Things For 2022 piece, but this move is good enough to look at again. Campbell beats both Rocco Berry and teammate Kelly with his footwork here and Gold Coast end up crowding the space and ruining the play. They’ve had an entire summer to practise actions like this and Kelly will know to give his fullback a little more room next time around.
Brimson’s move into the halves will be made easier by the quality of Campbell at fullback. Brimson can concentrate on squaring up the defence and if he nails that pass out the back, chances are Campbell will do something with the space created. It’s a combination that’s unlikely to fire right from Round 1 nor for an entire season, but if 2022 is the year Brimson and Campbell figure things out then I’m already keen for 2023.
Due to both the inexperience of their spine and the calibre of their forward pack, I also think we’ll see Gold Coast play through the middle more often this year. That circles us back to the dummy-half debate but also forces us to consider two new recruits – Isaac Liu and Will Smith. The Titans probably got both for the price of Tyrone Peachey and both can fill that void and then some in 2022.
At 30 years old and with 203 NRL appearances, Liu is a guy Justin Holbrook desperately needs to shore up his middle and provide some leadership in the spine. He won’t ballplay as well as Peachey but he can carry the ball just as effectively and is a more reliable defender. Liu can do a job distributing the ball through the middle as he has done for the Roosters in the past but most importantly he can be relied upon to lay a foundation in the opening stages of the game until Will Smith enters the fray.
I loved what I saw from Smith at Parramatta last year and I think he can have an impact in this Gold Coast side in a Connor Watson-like role as an interchange player.
Swap Watson and Mitch Barnett out for Smith and Beau Fermor here and you’ve got a repeatable and effective scoring action on the left edge. Try it on the right side with Fifita and you’ve gone one better.
In saying that, I would also like to see Smith spend more time at hooker this season (more on that below), particularly given Liu is capable of pushing out big minutes and Sam McIntyre being another option in the #13 jumper. There are a few little things left for Holbrook to tinker with in this forward pack but it’s certainly taking shape and I’m looking forward to seeing how Liu and Smith fit in there in 2022.
~ Oscar & Jason
Breakout Season Candidates
Some started to breakout in 2021 while others are ripe and ready to announce themselves to the NRL in 2022. Oscar and Jason highlight one player they think will take a leap this season.
Oscar: Moeaki Fotuaika
It’s his fifth year in the NRL and I’m tipping it to be his best one so far. Fotuaika has been a reliable meter-eater for the Gold Coast since his debut in 2018, averaging 84 meters in that year and more than 130 meters each season after that. Last year was a jump again – 143 average run meters, 57 tackle busts (previous best 40) and 23 offloads (previous best 14) in 2021 was Fotuaika’s best return in a season to date and I’m expecting this to roll over into 2022.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui will (or should) shift to prop with Isaac Liu slotting into the lock position, meaning Fotuaika will battle it out with Jarrod Wallace, Sam Lisone and Jaimin Joliffe for a starting spot alongside his skipper. Fotuaika should be picked before these three, and if he isn’t by Round 1 then I’m pretty sure he will be by Round 25.
He’s got great footwork and is a strong defender but I’m looking out for Fotuaika’s passing game in 2022. His teammate Sam Lisone is a great example of how a simple tip-on at the line every now and then can keep the defence honest and I want to see if Fotuaika has added a pass to his game over the summer.
Jason: Greg Marzhew
You know the NRL season is close when this guy starts to be talked about as a possible bolter for first grade…
Greg Marzhew has featured in breakout player segments since making the Holden Cup Team of the Year back in 2017. Some of that might be down to him changing his name from Greg Leleisiuao allowing journos to sneak a checky double up through to the keeper. But, for the most part, it’s because the powerful winger has still only played eight NRL games.
He profiles as an effective winger with how the game is being played right now. He’s low to the ground but has great leg drive. The 24-year-old averaged 185 metres and 3.3 tackle breaks per game across eight matches in 2021 while scoring six tries.
Everything we see suggests he is capable of playing in first-grade and becoming a reliable performer for the Titans. However, a few coaches have now seen things a little differently…
Receiving a chance last season and expecting him to feature again in 2022, this is the year for Marzhew to break out.
Section Wishlist
Whether it be likely or unlikely, good or bad, Jason and Oscar have a couple of players on their selection wishlist in 2022.
Oscar: Will Smith spending time at hooker
For all the recruitment activity Gold Coast have had over the past few seasons, the dummy-half position is still a concern. A two-way battle between Erin Clark and Aaron Booth is handy competition but on past form neither demands selection and it’s a choice Justin Holbrook needs to get right.
The Gold Coast have serious star-power in their pack. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita are two guys almost impossible to stop close to the line and they need to be a target from dummy-half when the defence is expecting a backline shift. The problem is that none of Booth or Clark profile as genuine ballplayers who can identify and capitalise on those opportunities.
Will Smith, on the other hand, might.
A stellar finish to the 2021 season earned Smith a contract on the Gold Coast and he slots straight into Tyrone Peachey’s vacated utility position. His ceiling isn’t as high as Peachey’s but Smith is a capable playmaker who has looked good in short stints at hooker in the past. With Clark and Booth yet to stamp their claim at dummy-half, I’m keen to see Smith spend a little more time there in 2022.
Jason: Paul Turner
The Titans depth is a possible issue. They have a promising first-choice 17 but things start to become concerning as we look down the roster. However, from a purely selfish Warriors fan point of view, I’d like to see Paul Turner feature a few times throughout the year.
While grossly overrated by a lot of the Warriors faithful, Turner is a talent. His feet are worth the price of admission alone and he poses as a real threat to Tanah Boyd as the bench utility. Turner is more versatile (half, centre, fullback and hooker at a pinch) and can break a game open when running at tired defenders. Boyd, while solid, is more suited to replacing a half or spending a brief period at hooker.
It will more than likely take an injury or two for Turner to get a run but I’m hoping he’s part of Justin Holbrook’s plans in 2022.
SuperCoach Game Theory
RLW is venturing into the fantasy space this year and Oscar will be keeping a rolling watch list from week-to-week. Not everything translates from field to fantasy but if something catches my eye or there’s value hiding somewhere, it’ll go on the list.
David Fifita ($745,200) – The obvious SC target in this squad. Fifita averaged just 57 minutes per game in the second half of last year and that alone is reason to have him in your side. He’s expensive but that price is unlikely to go down with games against the Warriors, Tigers and Raiders in the first five weeks and reports are he has a starting role in 2022. Enough said.
Brian Kelly ($513,100) – A little pricey but there’s upside about Kelly this year. AJ Brimson will direct plenty of traffic down that left edge and Jayden Campbell seems to like that side too which should bring Kelly into the game. His ceiling as an attacking centre is sky-high and if Kelly can find some consistency he could be a POD option with less than 1% ownership at time of writing.
Toby Sexton ($434,900) – On paper he’s a bargain buy with plenty of upside. Strong kicking game, decent base stats, busy defender and all but guaranteed a starting role are good reasons to get Sexton in your team, but I’m a little cautious. There’s so much pressure on Sexton in 2022 and I don’t want to be feeling it too when there’s cheaper options elsewhere.
Moeaki Fotuaika ($521,900) – If he earns a starting front-row position then I’m bringing Fotuaika straight in. He averaged 50 minutes per game in 2021 but it’s only a matter of time before he unseats Jarrod Wallace in the starting pack. Fotuaika has got a great motor and his tackle busts have climbed steadily each year since his debut in 2018 (1.2 in 2018, 1.5 in 2019, 2.1 in 2020, 2.4 in 2021). It all points to SC potential in 2022.
Will Smith ($205,100) – Ridiculously cheap and every chance of playing 30-40 minutes a week between lock and hooker. I’m not ruling out him earning a starting dummy-half role a few rounds in either. Watching very closely.
2022 NRL Notepad
Jason has pulled the wrapper off a fresh notepad and has a few pages filled already with the 2022 NRL season in mind.
Less Fifita the better?
I might be the only person in the NRL world that wants to see less David Fifita in 2022.
He’s a monster and one of the best-attacking players in the competition. His ability to take possession and create something out of absolutely nothing is second to none. However, it became the first option for the Gold Coast Titans attack too often in 2021.
They need to find new ways to score points without relying on one man to complete a freakish play.
Fifita scored 17 tries last year – the most ever by a Titans player in a season.
It was exciting to watch and you’re always on the edge of your seat when he takes the ball, but the Titans only won two of the 11 matches he failed to cross the line. It’s not quite as simple as Fifita scores = Titans win, but their reliance on him in attack became clearer as the season went on.
Interestingly, only 11 of his 17 tries were assisted and just four of those came from his halfback or five-eighth.
There is a gravity to Fifita nobody else in the competition can emulate. He turns defenders the second he becomes an option for the ball-player and that needs to be where he is used better in 2022. Rather than still giving him the ball and have him possibly throw away two defenders on his way to the line, identify the defender in his seat and play in the right shape to capitalise. Jayden Campbell, in particular, can be a huge beneficiary of the attention Fifita occupies within the defensive line.
Sure, giving him the ball is always going to be a good option. The good teams will soon find ways to close him down, though. A little more variation – which means fewer touches for Fifita – will help the Titans attack overall.
Peak, Pass, Pit
Oscar and Jason give their predicted peak for the Titans in 2022 along with a pass mark and worst-case scenario.
Peak
Finals, Week 1: There’s optimism in the air on the Gold Coast but I can’t see them improving on last year’s efforts. Justin Holbrook has new players in all key playmaking positions – fullback, five-eighth, halfback, hooker and lock – and a new captain in 22 year-old Tino Fa’asuamaleaui. They could still sneak into the eight again on the back of David Fifita’s talent but for me that’s a best case scenario in 2022. ~OP
Finals, Week 1: The Titans exceeded expectations to play finals footy last year and 2022 is no different for me. They’re going to need to exceed the same expectations to do it again. While the spine is encouraging on paper, they have a bit of work to do out on the field and combinations will need to develop particularly quickly if the Titans are to play the consistent football typically required of a finals side. ~JO
Pass
10th-12th: We can expect a few growing pains with Jayden Campbell (22), AJ Brimson (23) and Toby Sexton (20) linking up in attack together for the first time in 2022. Throw in one of Erin Clark, Aaron Booth or Will Smith (average 37 NRL games between them) at hooker and the Titans have some developing to do in the spine this year. Ensuring they don’t slip too far down the ladder while doing so is the key. ~OP
10 Wins: With the changes to key playmaking positions, replicating the ten wins from last season is the pass mark. The Titans are going to play some exciting football throughout the year but the young players and fresh combinations in the spine may contribute to some inconsistency. They struggled defensively last season, too. Another ten-win season, finals or not, is a decent launching pad for this group. ~JO
Pit
Bottom 4: I hate to say it but I’m not ruling out a Bottom 4 finish for the Titans in 2022. If they start dropping games the fingers will start pointing at Sexton and Holbrook will feel the pressure to make changes. It’s important the Gold Coast trust the process and invest in their future talent, even if the wooden spoon gets a little too close for comfort in the process. ~OP
10th-13th: Questions around depth haven’t gone away over the summer. Concerns over AJ Brimson’s injury issues won’t subside until he strings together ten consecutive games either. Somebody has to drop down the NRL ladder every year and there too many question marks to rule the Titans out of being that team in 2022. ~JO