Yet another QLD Cup team will link up with a new NRL club in 2024, with the Gold Coast Titans confirming their players would be turning out for the Ipswich Jets.
In what has been a chaotic six months for Queensland based clubs, all of the Norths Devils, Burleigh Bears and now Ipswich Jets have been involved in the changes.
The Dolphins first took Norths out from the Brisbane Broncos' line-up for QLD Cup as they look to take complete control of the north side in Brisbane.
That saw the Broncos withdraw players from the Norths Devils for the remainder of the season, before they themselves swooped on the Burleigh Bears, who are in the Gold Coast Titans' catchment area.
That has led to the current announcement for the Titans, who will now take the Jets to partner their other agreement with the Tweed Heads Seagulls.
Club chairman Dennis Watt said the Titans see benefits both for their current playing group and for their future.
โThe Ipswich region is one of Queensland's true rugby league nurseries and we are excited to have the Jets on board with us in 2024,โ Watt said in a club statement.
โThe region is immersed with talent and is home to several rugby league greats including Alfie Langer, the Walters brothers and even our very own Karyn Murphy and Jim Lenihan, alongside current Titans Phil Sami and Josiah Pahulu โ the young gun having captained Ipswich State High School to victory in the National Schoolboy Cup in 2022.
โIt's also important for us to have a number of feeder clubs to allow those not in NRL's top 17 the opportunity to still be playing regularly, and our new partnership with the Jets alongside our long-standing affiliation with Tweed will allow us to continue our quest to bring success to the Gold Coast.โ
It's unclear at this stage whether the agreement is a multi-year partnership, or only for a single season. Every mention of the agreement from the Titans related to 2024 only.
The Ipswich Jets have not been linked with an NRL side since 2019 when they ended their partnership with the Brisbane Broncos, and in the three complete seasons since (2021, 2022 and 2023), the club have failed to escape the bottom two on the QLD Cup ladder.
There are hopes that 2024 will see the Jets now be able to compete with other teams in the competition, and the proof can be found in the Central Queensland Capras.
After taking the wooden spoon in 2021, the club affiliated with the Dolphins ahead of their entry into the NRL, and with pathways to NRL level available for the region, as well as players dropping back from an NRL squad, the Capras finished fifth on the ladder in 2022, and fourth this year, making Week 2 of the finals on both occasions.
Ipswich CEO Richard Hughes said he hopes the Titans' partnership will be a boost for the club, who are also linked up with the Sydney Roosters in a partnership agreement that doesn't provide any fringe first-grade players.
โWe are extremely excited to be partnering with the Titans and have their playing talent strengthen our Hostplus Cup team next season,โ he said in the statement.
โWe are also extremely appreciative of the Sydney Roosters allowing the Gold Coast to complement our current NRL partnership agreement, with the Roosters to continue their work with developing pathways, junior programs and train-and-trial opportunities.
โWith the inclusion of Titans-contracted players to bolster our current squad of young and upcoming talent, we feel this is the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle for us to embark on a strong finals campaign in 2024.โ
The move means only the PNG Hunters and Western Clydesdales remain without NRL affiliations that provide players on a weekly basis for the 2024 Queensland-based reserve grade competition.
