New recruit Kallum Watkins says Titans fans can expect him to lead with actions rather than words as he sizes up the challenge of being a senior player at the Gold Coast before playing a game for his new club.
Watkins was captain of English Super League giants Leeds Rhinos before joining the Titans in June, and Gold Coast officials are hoping the Test centre’s vast experience will help fill an on-field leadership void in the youthful Titans squad.
In the second of a two-part interview with titans.com.au, Watkins says he is welcoming the chance to be a senior player at his new club after enjoying the captaincy role at the Rhinos, where he was also one of the most experienced players in a young roster.
“I see myself as pretty old now,” he said with a laugh. “All the boys here (at the Titans) are quite a young squad. We had that back at Leeds for the last couple of years, these young fellas that are coming through.
“(Being captain) gave me the opportunity to know them more, and give them any experience or advice that any of them needed.
“For me, I am quite a quiet leader. I am not a bawler or a shouter. For me, it is just about doing things with actions, and that hopefully integrates into the team with the young guys.”
Watkins said the key to effective leadership was ensuring that his own game was at its usual standards.
“It is all about doing the things in your own backyard, and making sure that is right, before about anything else – and that will help the team as well,” he said.
“For me as a leader, in a quiet way, you will see me do certain things that are not spoken a lot about. But at the same time it is showing the boys that I do certain things with actions.
“That is how I see I lead the boys, especially at Leeds, and coming to Gold Coast now. I’ve got to get myself settled in, and at the same time, I will just do what I have been doing for my whole career in terms of being professional, doing everything right, and performing well when I get out there.”
In the full interview, Watkins also reveals he plans to continue playing Test football while with the Titans, particularly with Great Britain reforming for international football at the end of the year.
