But Kini said the Gold Coast could emulate the Penrith Panthers – whose four straight premierships were built on Western Sydney schoolers – and create a group headlined by hometown heroes.
“I had that mindset coming in, that I still had to prove myself to all the older boys, and you had to earn your way and earn respect,” the New Zealand No.1 said.
“As long as these young boys know that, as long as they’re confident but still know they have to put in the work to get the accolades, I think you’ll see most of the boys are pretty humble and keep their head down.”
Meanwhile, this masthead’s analysis of every registered NRL player and the schools they attended shows the Titans’ efforts to keep their young talent are not as far from their competitors as might have been feared.
Penrith leads the way in retaining local players, but the North Queensland Cowboys have also taken advantage of two prominent rugby league schools in Kirwan State High and Ignatius Park.
Of the competition’s 15 players who graduated from those academies, the Cowboys now have five on contract, but many more have donned the North Queensland jumper in previous seasons.
Only four Broncos – Ezra Mam, Pat Carrigan, Billy Walters and Ben Te Kura – went to Brisbane schools.
In contrast, Hannay’s squad has 12 of the 43 players in the NRL who were schooled on the Gold Coast, without considering the Future Titans program. Former PBC stars Tom Weaver and Ryan Foran did not have their contracts renewed beyond 2025.
Dolphins forward Connelly Lemuelu, who attended Keebra Park, said the perceived player drain came down to a lack of squad space, and the fact athletes were often signed to clubs much younger, as he was with Wests Tigers.
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But Lemuelu, who worked under Hannay at the Cowboys, said the coach was the man to capture the Gold Coast catchment.
“For myself, I was just signed elsewhere at a young age, and there were other players who they’d signed ahead of me, so it just didn’t work out that way,” he said.
“I feel with Josh Hannay coming in, he’ll do a good job of getting those boys to stay. He is definitely someone who can get the best out of the boys. I feel like he understands, being a former player and playing at the elite level.”
The Titans’ talent stranglehold came under the microscope again following reports Bai had been courted by rivals.
A Marymount College graduate, the 19-year-old had been on the Melbourne Storm’s radar, while his Papua New Guinea’s heritage has linked him to the incoming Chiefs.
“Since he’s come into the grade he’s just set the standard for a young kid that you don’t see very often, and he’s one I want to be with for the rest of my career at the Titans,” Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui said, after committing his future through to the end of 2030.
Bai rejected those advances, inking a two-year extension through to the end of 2028.
“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,” Hannay said.
“The sky is the limit for Cooper.”
Kini said the onus was on the players to produce results.
“We want to keep some of those boys here, but that starts with us winning on the field and making it an exciting place for these schoolboys to come,” he said.
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