League: Warriors unfazed by Titans

James-Dean Fisher Harris is one of many talented Northlanders to ply their trade in Australia, playing in the feeder competition for the Holden Cup.Photo/File

THE Warriors rugby league academy boss isn't fazed that Aussie NRL franchise the Gold Coast Titans are moving into Northland - despite the Titans saying they like the look of our youngsters.

The Titans are linking up with NorthTec to deliver the Graham Lowe Sports Performance Centre as a vehicle for young Northland sportspeople to realise their potential on and off the field.

The course will enable male and female sportspeople aged between 16 and 19 from all sports who do not have a level two NCEA qualification to study for a Certificate in Vocational Studies.

Michael Searle, founder and executive director of the Gold Coast Titans as well as founder and managing director of Titans 4 Tomorrow, said he had been impressed by potential future NRL stars from Northland.

Searle felt many of Northland's sportspeople only needed an opportunity to realise their potential, something the Titans hoped to provide.

"We are excited about this joint venture with NorthTec and are looking forward to a long and successful relationship," he said.

While the Titans' move into Northland could be considered as stepping on toes, Warriors academy boss - and former Kiwi - Duane Mann said at this stage the programme was nothing.

Mann noted the programme, which is due to start in October with 25 students, was yet to pose any threat, adding the Titans were often criticised for not nurturing talent from their own area first.

"NRL clubs have been active right across the country for a long time, [setting up academies and poaching players]," Mann said from Australia.

"Every year without fail, the Warriors have extended support to Northland rugby league. In the club's first year in the 95 pre-season we had trial games up there.

"Over the years, too, there have been opportunities for [Northland] players to come down and train with the Warriors, this year we had about eight players come down and train pre-season."

Recently, Rugby League Northland's Adam Blair XIII, Northland's best secondary school rugby league players, took on a Warriors Development team after the inter-school competition ended, proving the Warriors' involvement is still happening.

Mann cited several Northlanders over the years had worn the Warriors jersey, even though some chose to play in Australia, using Takahiwai's Jason Mackie as an example of an original Warrior in 1995.

Since then, there have been others, with the most recent being Kaitaia's Elijah Taylor - who now plays for Penrith and was part of the side's 30-20 loss to the Warriors on Sunday.

Rugby League Northland general manager Alex Smits said while the Titans partnership was yet to take actual shape, there were benefits for Northland rugby league players.

"We struggle as an organisation to run our community programmes, which is what funders fund," Smits said.

"We know what we need to be doing but we don't have that intellectual programme to develop the athletes further.

"Hopefully with that knowledge and the Titans help, we can develop an intellectual programme."

NorthTec chief executive Paul Binney said the Gold Coast Titans would bring to the partnership the Titans 4 Tomorrow Limited programme, a non-profit charitable organisation which delivers the Gold Coast Titans community programmes.

Mr Binney said: "These programmes have proved to have a positive impact with disadvantaged youth in Australia, particularly in smaller rural communities.

"This collaboration between the Titans and NorthTec allows the utilisation of the Titans' experience and expertise to help those in the Northland region with similar programmes to be delivered by highly qualified professional staff."

While there are some similarities between the Graham Lowe Sports Performance Centre and the Educare Northland Sports Talent Hub programme, they are different. Each programme has different objectives and their structures are different.