AJ Brimson's switch to fullback for this Friday night's clash against the Panthers could prove to be the spark that helps electrify the Titans' season and get them back on track for premiership success.
With youngster Jayden Campbell still on the mend from a rib cartilage injury he sustained in Round 3 against the Canberra Raiders, coach Justin Holbrook has opted to switch up the spine, moving 23-year-old Brimson to his old No. 1 jersey and elevated Will Smith into the halves to partner Toby Sexton.
Titans teammate Beau Fermor feels it could be the key to allowing his left-hand linchpin more freedom with the footy in hand.
"I think it just unlocks his running game a bit more. That's probably the biggest thing that we've lost with AJ moving to No. 6," Fermor said on Triple M's Rush Hour Queensland.
"When he's at fullback, he's making line-breaks and I think it'll just unlock his running game a bit more.
"He doesn't feel the need to pass or set anyone else up or anything."
Match: Titans v Panthers
Round 8 -
home Team
Titans
12th Position
away Team
Panthers
1st Position
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Showing he is more than capable of the five-eighth duties after ably filling the role in the season opener against Parramatta, Smith will bring an attacking flair and plenty of intensity in defence in his starting halves role, pleasing edge forward Fermor who is looking forward to working closely with the experienced utility.
"Will started there in Round 1 because AJ was out and he's just a competitor and tackles really well. Everything is just 100 miles an hour trying to win," Fermor said.
"I think that's kind of what we need at the moment and he'll be on my side, so I'm looking forward to running off him and working with him."
The Titans steal the win!
Knowing success isn't too far away, the back-rower feels a win against the ladder-leading Panthers will be a great stepping stone to help get the Gold Coast season back on track.
"We're a young team, but we need to find the best way to unlock that," Fermor said.
"What you pick in Round 1 isn't going to be at the team you stick with the whole year, so finding what combinations work best and obviously, we're all disappointed from the weekend. We just want to get back out on the field and play well to move on from that.
"There's no bigger test than Penrith and I think if we can put in a really good performance and snag a win, then that'll be a springboard that we can kind of go off and hopefully one win turns into two, three or four."
Be there to witness a battle of the young guns, with scintillating stars AJ Brimson and Jarome Luai headlining the Titans' Round 8 Friday night showdown against the Penrith Panthers at Cbus Super Stadium.
