Gold Coast Titans and Queensland Origin forward Ashley Harrison will retire at the end of the NRL season despite having a year left on his contract.
Johnathan Thurston is just one of a number of top Toowoomba products. Source: Getty Images
IT is the town that developed Queensland superstar Johnathan Thurston.
Now Toowoomba plans to deliver the region’s next champion to the Gold Coast Titans after striking an alliance with the NRL’s competition leaders.
Ahead of Friday night’s derby clash against Brisbane, the Titans have infiltrated the famous league nursery once aligned with Queensland’s flagship NRL club, the Broncos.
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Melbourne Storm's season has continued to unravel with a last-gasp penalty goal sealing a 28-26 NRL win for the Gold Coast at AAMI Park.
The Toowoomba Clydesdales were a Queensland Cup feeder-club to the Broncos from 1999-2006, helping launch the careers of Justin Hodges, Carl Webb and retiring Titans warhorse Ashley Harrison.
But Brisbane’s decision to sever ties left Toowoomba officials seething, with TRL league boss Allen Pyne claiming the Broncos “pillaged” the proud rugby league town.
Now, under the bipartisan agreement, Pyne hopes Toowoomba young guns see an NRL pathway, in turn providing a development bedrock for the Titans’ revival as a title force.
Thurston overcame his Broncos snubbing as a 15-year-old in Toowoomba to play NRL and Pyne believes the region can one day gift-wrap another superstar for the Titans.
Johnathan Thurston got his big break as a teenager in Toowoomba. Source: Getty Images
“This is a great partnership with the Titans — it can be mutually beneficial for both parties,” Pyne said.
“It’s a two-way street. We can help improve the Titans’ brand and fan base in our area and they can provide an opportunity for some of the best young kids in Toowoomba.
“I personally believe the Broncos didn’t handle this region well but the Titans are doing things in a far more professional manner.
“The Broncos name took a hit in Toowoomba because of their past association with the Clydesdales.
“They brought a busload of players here, played their games, didn’t even have an ice cream after, and got on the bus and went home.
“They pillaged and put nothing back.
“The Titans are doing this properly. They have set up an indigenous relationship officer in the area and have made available marquee Titans players to attend training camps and lectures.”
Gold Coast Titans coach, John Cartwright, says his side's performance going forward was the best they have produced all season.
Mark Gee, who coached the Clydesdales in their final season, defended Brisbane’s treatment of Toowoomba.
“The Broncos did as much as they could,” said Gee.
“It was a strange sort of set up. The TRL ran their competition independently to the Clydesdales who had their own board, so the relationship between the two wasn’t overly cohesive.”
“Financially, the Broncos put a fair bit into that team. In the end, the Clydesdales board said they couldn’t afford to support the team anymore, so it ended.”
In February, Toowoomba hosted a trial between the Titans and Cowboys and Pyne is in talks with Gold Coast boss Graham Annesley to stage a premiership fixture at Clive Berghofer Oval next year.
“It’s a good area, it’s part of rugby league heartland,” he said.
“They have a good strong competition there and if we can help them develop and it’s good for us expanding our reach for future fans, it’s a positive result.
“Like all NRL clubs we have a responsibility to promote the game and the relationship we have with Toowoomba is good for both parties.”
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