The Gold Training Gold Coast under-20s have had to add a fifth newcomer to the NYC competition today when they play South Sydney at North Sydney Oval (1pm kick-off) with the withdrawal of prop Kurt Bernard with injury.
Bernard, the 120g Junior Kiwis representative, had been switched back to the bench, has a lower back problem but hopefully will miss just one match.
Brownbill is an 18-year-old centre or back-rower from Springwood Tigers who performed well in the Mal Meninga Cup this season, joins fellow Jordan Birch, Fred Kiel, AJ Brimson and Kobe Tararo in making their under-20s debuts against the Rabbitohs.
Injuries have had a big effect on Ben Woolf’s team with only one of the six players who spent some of the off-season training full-time with the Titans NRL squad – Bernard, Shane Wright, Jed Cartwright, Greg Leleisiuao, Morgan Boyle and Brian Kelly – not on the sideline. Junior Kangaroo Kelly (pictured) will play fullback today in a ploy by Woolf to give him more space and opportunity with the ball.
Australian Schoolboy of 2015 Tyrone Roberts-Davis (hip flexor) is also out today against a Souths side equal with the Titans on 10 competition points, three points out of the top eight.
“It’s an opportunity for some of our bright young prospects to show what they can do and we have had a lot of players who have come into the NYC this year and performed well,” said Woolf.
The Gold Training Titans have this season now fielded 15 players new to the NYC competition.
The team is:
1- Brian Kelly
2- Jordan Birch
3- Phillip Sami
4- Christian Mika
5- Fred Kiel
6- Josh Rogers
7- AJ Brimson
8- Simione Fatafehi
9- Jordan Scott
10- Nathan Watts
11- Kelepi Faukafa
12- Ethan Roberts
13- Max King
INTERCHANGE
14 – Corey Manicaros
15 – Kobe Tararo
17 – Justin Fai
18 – Daniel Brownbill
