Cultural Night 2025 brought together players, staff, families, partners and community for an evening that recognised the cultures that sit at the heart of the Gold Coast Titans.
Moving forward together: 2025 Titans Cultural Night
The Club’s Cultural Night began in 2015, when a small group of players came together to acknowledge culture in an informal setting.
That early gathering was simple in nature, focused on listening, learning and creating space for connection.
Over time, that commitment continued to grow, and in 2020 the Titans formally established the Titans Cultural Collective, bringing together players, staff, community stakeholders, members and friends of the Club.
The Collective was created to better support people across the NRL, NRLW, Netball and Leagueability programs, and to ensure culture remained embedded across the Club.
The first formal Cultural Night was held in 2021 at Griffith University with a small audience.
In 2025, the event was hosted at Glow Church, Robina, with more than 400 people in attendance and over 200 performers taking part across the evening.
The Titans playing group now represents 36 different cultural backgrounds, and that diversity was reflected throughout the night, with strong involvement from players and staff across the NRL, NRLW and Netball squads.
The evening began outside the auditorium with a Welcome to Country delivered by Uncle John Graham, followed by a Smoking Ceremony led by the Birren Group.
The opening was accompanied by a didgeridoo performance from Titans NRL player Alan Fitzgibbon, grounding the night in respect for Country and culture. As guests were invited into the auditorium, the sound of bagpipes filled the space, marking the transition into the formal program.
Titans players lined the foyer to welcome guests as they entered, reinforcing that this was a night shaped and supported by the playing group themselves.
Once seated, the program opened with a waiata performed by Te Rau Aroha, before the evening was formally welcomed by MCs Kieran Foran and Kevin Dando, who guided the program with warmth, care and respect, providing context throughout the night.
The Indigenous component of the evening was led by the Slabb and Togo families, with special acknowledgement of Josh and Christine Slabb. In the lead-up to Cultural Night, the Slabb and Togo families worked closely with the Club’s entire Indigenous playing group - 17 players across the NRL and NRLW programs, along with staff - sharing cultural knowledge, stories and lived experience.
Christine Slabb is also the artist behind the Club’s 2025 Indigenous jersey, worn by both the NRL and NRLW teams.
That learning and connection was reflected on stage through the Indigenous performance delivered on the night.
One of the standout moments of the evening came from the entire Titans NRLW squad, who performed together on stage for the first time.
The group delivered a powerful medley of Cook Islands and Samoan dances, representing unity, strength and cultural pride.
Following dinner, guests were treated to a performance by the Kings Siva Academy, proudly representing Samoa, before the Logohu Dancers from Tatana Village in Papua New Guinea took the stage.
Their performance shared stories of ancestry, trade, loss and celebration through traditional movement and symbolism.
The formal program concluded with a final performance by Mamana Academy, representing Tonga, which featured Moeaki Fotuaika, Jojo Fifita, Tony Francis and Tom Vieyra, with Tom Vieyra performing alongside the group in his role within Club Welfare, highlighting the involvement of staff alongside players in the cultural presentation.
During the evening, guests heard from Titans Chairman Dennis Watt, CEO Steve Mitchell, Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM and Joseph Pouniu, who spoke about the importance of culture, belonging and community within the Club.
Reflecting on the night, Dr Palipana said, “what I really admire about this Club is that culture isn’t something we talk about - it’s something we live.
"The Titans create space for people to bring their whole selves here, and that matters. It changes how people feel, how they belong, and how they support one another.”
The evening also acknowledged the many people and partners who supported Cultural Night and helped bring the event together.
Thanks were extended to Club owners Rebecca and Brett Frizelle, Cr Dan Doran (Division 11, City of Gold Coast) for his support through grant funding, Preston Campbell OAM, and Tweed Seagulls CEO Brendan Lindsay.
Special recognition was given to Annette Fale, whose leadership and commitment were central to pulling the entire night together.
Appreciation was also shared for the delicious food provided by Epi and the team from Epic Pacific Polynesian Cuisine, and to DJ Buxx, whose music added to the atmosphere and energy of the evening.
Sincere thanks were also extended to Glow Church, including Pastor Joel and Ellen Cave and their team, for hosting the event and supporting delivery across the venue, car park and children’s creche.
Cultural Night 2025 also served as a fundraiser for Titans Together, supporting the Club’s community programs.
The night concluded having brought together culture, community and people from across the Club in one shared space.
