THE BIG BREAKDOWN \u2014 Ethan Lee Chalk<\/p>\nSTRENGTH<\/p>\n
The forward pack. The Titans may have farewelled David Fifita and Reagan Campbell-Gillard in the off-season, but they still easily have one of the best forward packs in the NRL. Led by Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui, their pack includes Queensland Maroons representatives Beau Fermor and Moeaki Fotuaika, as well as young guns Cooper Bai, Arama Hau and Klese Haas. They can contend with any other team on their given day and will be the backbone of Josh Hannay\u2019s systems.<\/p>\n
Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui leads a promising forward pack.Source: Supplied Source Known<\/p>\n
WEAKNESS<\/p>\n
Halves. Jayden Campbell may have been able to cement the halfback role but there are still plenty of question marks surrounding his halves partnership with AJ Brimson. The duo were only able to win three matches together before Brimson shifted back to fullback. During this period, they looked lacklustre and were unable to create any real positives. This isn\u2019t the first time the Titans have struggled to find the right pairing. Over the years, Jamal Fogarty, Tanah Boyd, Toby Sexton, Kieran Foran and others have all tried to make it in the halves but have been unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
AJ Brimson needs to step up in the halves.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
IT\u2019S A BIG YEAR FOR<\/p>\n
Keano Kini. Limited to six matches last season after suffering a career-threatening spinal injury, Kini will be looking to recapture his form from 2024, which saw him make the fullback role his own. Admitting that he\u2019s fitter and stronger than ever heading into this year\u2019s campaign, he will need to lead the team from the back of the park if they have any chance of making the top eight. However, there are concerns that the 21-year-old may be unable to meet expectations straight away due to missing a ton of game time over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n
Keano Kini needs to play a full season.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
WHO\u2019S UNDER PRESSURE?<\/p>\n
Jayden Campbell. While all eyes will be on skipper Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui, no one player at the Titans will be under more pressure than Jayden Campbell. Handed the halfback role last season, Campbell had his best season to date and was rewarded with a massive $4.5 million extension keeping him at the club until 2029. However, can Campbell continue his form this season? Although he was one of the club\u2019s best, he was unable to translate his performances into victories and is set to attract the attention of more defenders who now understand his playing style better.<\/p>\n
Jayden Campbell needs to deliver after inking a rich extension.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
THE RISING STAR<\/p>\n
Cooper Bai. The son of Marcus Bai, Cooper has taken the NRL by storm and is already being touted for a long and bright future in the game. Recently rejecting the Melbourne Storm, Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters to remain on the Gold Coast, the back-rower will no doubt add to his single NRL appearance. In limited time on the field, he made two tackle busts, 15 tackles and 76 running metres coming off the bench in his only match to date. This has seen him catch the attention of several greats of the game including Gordon Tallis, who labelled him as \u201cpretty special\u201d.<\/p>\n
Cooper Bai is staying with the Titans.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
PREDICTED FINISH: 16th<\/p>\n
BEST 17<\/p>\n
1. Keano Kini<\/p>\n
2. Jaylan De Groot<\/p>\n
3. Max Feagai<\/p>\n
4. Phillip Sami<\/p>\n
5. Jojo Fifita<\/p>\n
6. AJ Brimson<\/p>\n
7. Jayden Campbell<\/p>\n
8. Moeaki Fotuaika<\/p>\n
9. Sam Verrills<\/p>\n
10. Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui<\/p>\n
11. Klese Haas<\/p>\n
12. Beau Fermor<\/p>\n
13. Cooper Bai<\/p>\n
14. Chris Randall<\/p>\n
15. Jaimin Joliffe<\/p>\n
16. Kurtis Morrin<\/p>\n
17. Josh Patston<\/p>\n
TITANS SQUAD<\/p>\n
Top 30: AJ Brimson (2030), Adam Christensen (2027), Beau Fermor (2029), Brian Kelly (2026), Chris Randall (2027), Jaimin Jolliffe (2026), Jayden Campbell (2030), Jaylan de Groot (2027), Jojo Fifita (2027), Keano Kini (2030), Klese Haas (2027), Lachlan Ilias (2027), Luke Sommerton (2027), Max Feagai (2027), Moeaki Fotuaika (2027), Phillip Sami (2026), Sam Verrills (2026), Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui (2026, PO until 2033), Tony Francis (2027), Josh Patston (2027), Zane Harrison (2027)<\/p>\n
Development players: Jett Liu (2027), Oliver Pascoe (2027), Jensen Taumoepeau (2027), Siale Faemeni (2026)<\/p>\n
2026 gains: Max Feagai (Titans), Adam Christensen, Lachlan Ilias (Dragons), Kurtis Morrin (Bulldogs), Luke Sommerton (Penrith Panthers), Jensen Taumoepeau (2027)<\/p>\n
2026 losses: Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Leigh), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (London Broncos), Iszac Fa\u2019asuamaleaui (Catalans Dragons), David Fifita (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Kieran Foran (retired), Carter Gordon (rugby union), Alofiana Khan-Pereira (New Zealand Warriors), Ben Liyou (Brisbane Tigers), Ken Maumalo (retired), Sean Mullany (Mackay Cutters), Josiah Pahulu (Melbourne Storm), Sam Stephenson (retired), Thomas Weaver (Castleford Tigers)<\/p>\n
Coach: Josh Hannay (2028)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Gold Coast Titans are the NRL\u2019s ultimate version of Groundhog Day. Every November, the \u201cYear Zero\u201d siren…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":484288,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[245253,160161,64,63,689,155945,245246,33204,4560,245257,245255,4532,245256,20531,77960,4433,245258,77964,4509,42702,245247,168668,39189,245249,245248,245260,217346,98984,18664,12099,2485,4612,59817,139463,68983,26100,231345,245254,231342,85456,4518,4570,4450,18387,245250,174134,4484,4455,231229,231333,4602,79826,11551,4466,236779,245259,761,762,79834,1736,2613,158,677,31720,4598,4606,701,13385,3509,4483,245252,245251,2633,174148,4586,4439,85,1080,11375,4477,245245,156943,4440,28068,152140,4604],"class_list":{"0":"post-484287","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-absolute-warrior","9":"tag-adam-christensen","10":"tag-au","11":"tag-australia","12":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","13":"tag-ball-team","14":"tag-billy-slater-school","15":"tag-breakout-season","16":"tag-brian-kelly","17":"tag-broncos-rep-star","18":"tag-broncos-world-club-challenge","19":"tag-canberra-raiders","20":"tag-career-threatening-spinal-injury","21":"tag-castleford-tigers","22":"tag-chad-randall","23":"tag-chris-randall","24":"tag-coast-titans-preview","25":"tag-cooper-bai","26":"tag-david-fifita","27":"tag-defensive-resolve","28":"tag-demanding-defensive-blood","29":"tag-development-players","30":"tag-engine-room","31":"tag-expert-titans-verdict","32":"tag-extension-keeping","33":"tag-flashy-stars-getting","34":"tag-front-row-spots","35":"tag-fullback-role","36":"tag-game-plan","37":"tag-game-time","38":"tag-gold-coast","39":"tag-gold-coast-titans","40":"tag-gordon","41":"tag-gordon-tallis","42":"tag-halfback-role","43":"tag-halves-partnership","44":"tag-head-finals-bound-trio","45":"tag-high-performance-coaching","46":"tag-horror-top-eight","47":"tag-insurance-policy","48":"tag-jamal-fogarty","49":"tag-jayden-campbell","50":"tag-jaylan-de-groot","51":"tag-josh-hannay","52":"tag-katoni-staggs","53":"tag-ken-maumalo","54":"tag-kieran-foran","55":"tag-kurtis-morrin","56":"tag-ladder-bubble","57":"tag-luai-q-and","58":"tag-luke-sommerton","59":"tag-mackay-cutters","60":"tag-marcus","61":"tag-melbourne-storm","62":"tag-mick-crawley","63":"tag-momentum-stops","64":"tag-national-rugby-league","65":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","66":"tag-neck-injury","67":"tag-new-zealand","68":"tag-new-zealand-warriors","69":"tag-nrl","70":"tag-oceania","71":"tag-opposition-coaches","72":"tag-penrith-panthers","73":"tag-phillip-sami","74":"tag-queensland","75":"tag-queensland-maroons","76":"tag-question-marks","77":"tag-reagan-campbell-gillard","78":"tag-real-positives","79":"tag-right-pairing","80":"tag-rugby-union","81":"tag-sam-stephenson","82":"tag-sean-mullany","83":"tag-south-sydney-rabbitohs","84":"tag-sports","85":"tag-sydney-roosters","86":"tag-tackle-busts","87":"tag-tanah-boyd","88":"tag-titans-preview","89":"tag-titans-squad","90":"tag-toby-sexton","91":"tag-tony-francis","92":"tag-zane-harrison","93":"tag-zealand-warriors"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/484287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=484287"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/484287\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/484288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=484287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=484287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=484287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n