Holbrook hunted by Super League clubs

Axed Titans coach Justin Holbrook could be back as a head coach within months - in Super League.Several NRL clubs are keen to sign Holbrook as an assistant coach after Gold Coast's shock decision to sack him last month - and not just because of the get-out clauses which could allow Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita to leave the club.Holbrook is highly regarded in club-land despite his lack of success with the Titans - but is even better thought of in England.Holbrook had three years with the St Helens club, guiding them to the 2019 minor premiership by a staggering 16 points, before winning the grand final.Saints are just one of several Super League clubs believed to be keen to talk to Holbrook.

New Job For Holbrook?

Still on coaches - and the word is that Justin Holbrook won't be out of a job for long.Holbrook was well and truly ambushed by the Titans - sent packing the morning after Origin II - in a move no one saw coming.But I've heard at least two Sydney clubs have sounded out Holbrook for an assistant coach role come 2024.The former Titans coach is well respected in clubland despite his modest results on the glitter strip - an area no coach has really been able to get the best out of since the Gold Coast joined the big league in 1988.

Bronco Palasia signs with NRL's Titans

Brisbane forward Keenan Palasia has signed a two-year contract with Gold Coast that will begin in 2024.Palasia had a breakout season in 2022, playing 22 of a possible 24 games as the Broncos narrowly missed out on a return to the finals.The 25-year-old mostly came off the bench and laid the ninth-most tackles of any Bronco this season from an average of 40 minutes of game time.He made his international debut for Samoa in the mid-season Test window but missed out on selection in the eventual runners-up's World Cup squad.Palasia joins a Gold Coast middle rotation that will include Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Moeaki Fotuaika and Isaac Liu in 2024."We're excited to have Keenan join us and we know, given the way he plays the game, that he will fit in with our forward pack," Titans coach Justin Holbrook said."He's a player that is able to play big minutes and has shown his versatility in the games he has played so far."Keenan has had a good taste of NRL football already, but we're confident that he will continue to develop his game and we're thrilled that he will be doing that with us at the Titans."Holbrook said Palasia's status as a local product had helped motivate the club to sign him.Palasia was raised on the Gold Coast and attended famed rugby league nursery Palm Beach Currumbin High School, which has produced talents such as Jahrome Hughes, Ben Hannant and Cody Walker."(Palasia) is keen to come home to the Gold Coast and to represent the region which is something I like," Holbrook said.

Jojo Fifita commits to NRL's Titans

Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook has high expectations for Jojo Fifita after the NRL club locked in the teenager until 2025.The 19-year-old played eight games for the Titans last season at centre and wing, earning selection for the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea and catching the eye of recruiters in the process.But the Titans have locked him down for at least three seasons, with Fifita viewed as an exciting work in progress at a club desperate for a spark after a 2022 season that began with promise but ended in a dreadful 6-18."Jojo is a real talent and a player that we're excited to have here at the Titans long term," Holbrook said.