Titans trio putting 'team first' if AJ proves fit
Titans coach Des Hasler has remained tight-lipped on whether AJ Brimson will return from a groin injury against the Eels, but the Gold Coast mentor is full of praise for the headache he has ahead of him fitting all three X-factors in his 17.
Named at 18th man after initially expecting to return against the Sharks last week, Brimson is one of three Titans who will be welcomed back from injury if given the green light from Titans medicos - the trio given every opportunity to prove their fitness ahead of the Saturday 5.30pm kick-off.
"There’s probably three at the moment – JC (Jayden Campbell), Phil (Sami) and AJ and they’ll have their final medicals and clearances this afternoon," Hasler said after Friday's captain's run.
"JC should be okay. He’s coming back from a broken hand so the doctor will give that the check over and then we’ll check and see how the other two are performing.
"They’re both leg injuries, we’ll probably know more this afternoon."
Match: Titans v Eels
Round 19 -
home Team
Titans
14th Position
away Team
Eels
16th Position
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Should the 108-gamer return against the Eels alongside Campbell - who is expected to make his 50th NRL appearance after fracturing his metacarpal against the Warriors - it leaves an interesting predicament for Hasler given the scintillating form of Keano Kini at fullback, having excelled in the No. 1 jersey since his recall to the NRL in Round 10.
But it's a challenge the Titans mentor is relishing, with all three players eager to adapt a team-first mentality and fulfil the role best suited for the squad.
"We're pretty lucky in the situation where those three players are all multi-positional and can play a multitude of positions," Hasler said.
"Keano is still in that development phase of his footy that he’s adapting so quickly.
"The standards that he sets is quite thrilling to watch, but all three bring capabilities to the team.
"When it gets to that stage, you go with what’s best and what’s best suited for the team and they understand that and respond accordingly."
Round 18 highlights: Sharks v Titans
Returning home to face the 16th-placed Parramatta side after strong wins against the Warriors and Sharks in recent weeks, Hasler isn't expecting an easy challenge by any means despite their recent form, especially given the calibre of players in their roster combined with their previous success.
"Parramatta haven’t been playing bad. They were right in the game against both Newcastle and South Sydney (the past two weeks)," he said
"They’re a dangerous side… you can’t forget they were only in the GF two years ago.
"While they might be missing Mitchell Moses, they still have a stack of experienced players, rep players and players that compete the whole time.
"They’ve got a mix of youth coming through as well. If the weather is like this. (sunny), it’ll be a particularly entertaining game."
