NRLW squad watch: Titans aiming for bottom to top

An astute recruitment spree after a lacklustre 2022 campaign has the Gold Coast Titans more than in the mix to challenge for the NRLW title this season.

The Titans will welcome back a dozen of their squad from last year's disappointing last-placed finish while recruiting four representative stars and eight potential debutantes.

Karyn Murphy's squad only need to look at the Knights and how quickly they turned things around in the space of a year to know they can achieve similiar in 2023. 

Predicted Round 1 Team

1. Evania Pelite 2. Emily Bass 3. Jaime Chapman 4. Niall Williams-Guthrie 5. Karina Brown 6. Taliah Fuimaono 7. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 8. Jessika Elliston 9. Lauren Brown 10. Shannon Mato 11. Shaylee Bent 12. Zara Canfield 13. Georgia Hale 14. Brittany Breayley-Nati 15. Steph Hancock 16. Kaitlyn Phillips 17. Laikha Clarke.

Other: Destiny Mino-Sinapati, Sienna Lofipo, Hailee-Jay Ormond-Maunsell, Sophie Buller, Brooke Saddler, Dannii Perese, Rilee Jorgensen.

Biggest strength

The Titans have one of the best well-balanced squads in the competition on paper with strength in the forwards and notable strike out wide.

Evania Pelite's expected return to fullback after the departure of Apii Nicholls is a big win for the side given Jillaroos teammate Jaime Chapman is coming on board from the Broncos as a centre. 

Add in Maroons winger Emily Bass, New Zealand rugby union convert Niall Williams and former Jillaroos winger Karina Brown and it's as good as it gets for the Gold Coast in the backline.

There is no shortage of strength in the middle either with Maroons forwards Shannon Mato and Jess Elliston up front and veteran Steph Hancock coming off the bench at this ripe age of 41. 

Lauren Brown's expected switch back to hooker, where she carved up the NRLW for the Broncos, and the arrival of Shaylee Bent, only adds to the side's impressive look on paper.

Biggest question mark

Gold Coast's biggest weakness last year was around their halves pairing and kicking game.

The combination of Lauren Brown and Kimiora Breayley-Nati failed to fire and that had an overall effect on their 2022 campaign. 

Titans coach Karyn Murphy is set to give the keys to former Dragons and NSW five-eighth Taliah Fuimaono and teenage sensation Chantay Kiria-Ratu to turn the side's fortunes around in this area.

Fuimaono is coming off a solid 2022 season overall at the Dragons and has enjoyed an injury-free run to start the year. She will need to find a kicking game to help Kiria-Ratu, a promising halfback tipped for big things in the future. 

The positional switch of Brown will help ease some of the kicking woes with her boot out of dummy half but it will be the most asked question of the Titans in 2023 if they're to challenge for the title.

Best recruit

The likes of Shaylee Bent, Taliah Fuimaono and Jaime Chapman will all prove valuable but of most interest is the arrival of Niall Williams-Guthrie.

The sister of Sonny Bill Williams and mum-of-two has enjoyed a fabulous career on the rugby sevens circuit but will enter new territory when she pulls on a Titans jersey in Round 1. 

Williams-Guthrie is likely to play as a centre but could be used in the back-row if required. Her leadership and experience in big games will prove invaluable to the group and particularly alongside a young halfback like Kiria-Ratu.

Rookie to watch

Aside from Kiria-Ratu, keep an eye on Sienna Lofipo and Destiny Mino-Sinapati in 2023 with both players locked in on three-year deals at the Titans and considered stars of the future.

Lofipo, a playmaker, will challenge Kiria-Ratu throughout the season for the No.7 jersey while Mino-Sinapati looks set to play as a back-up to Pelite at fullback.

The pair will join Kiria-Ratu and play for the Queensland under 19s side on July 13 prior to the opening round of the NRLW season.