NRL best 17s for 2025: Gold Coast Titans

The Gold Coast Titans will come into 2025 with one of the competition's best forward packs, but more selection questions than just about anyone in the backline.

Coach Des Hasler struggled to get his side firing throughout the 2024 campaign, and they wound up at the wrong end of the ladder.

Injuries, including an ACL for Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, certainly didn't help things along their way, but the Gold Coast were awful, particularly during the first half of the season where at times it was hard to know where their next win was coming from.

The forward pack will need to lead the way in 2025, but it's down to getting selections right in the backs and then hoping things flow from there as to whether they'll be able to score the points to challenge top teams.

Here is how Zero Tackle sees the Titans lining up at full strength throughout the 2025 campaign.

Recruitment report

Ins: Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Parramatta Eels, 2027)

Outs: Tanah Boyd (New Zealand Warriors), Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors), Isaac Liu (Leigh Leopards), Seth Nikotemo (Wakefield Trinity), Keenan Palasia (Leeds Rhinos), Aaron Schoupp (Manly Sea Eagles)

Re-signed: Jacob Alick-Wiencke (2025), AJ Brimson (2030), David Fifita (2026), Kieran Foran (2025), Klese Haas (2027), Chris Randall (2027)

Off-contract at the end of 2025: Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Jaylan De Groot, Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui, Jojo Fifita, Kieran Foran, Ryan Foran, Tony Francis, Ben Liyou, Ken Maumalo, Josiah Pahulu, Harley Smith-Shields, Ryder Williams

Full squad

Jacob Alick-Wiencke, AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Jaylan De Groot, Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Beau Fermor, David Fifita, Jojo Fifita, Kieran Foran, Ryan Foran, Moeaki Fotuaika, Tony Francis, Carter Gordon, Klese Haas, Jaimin Jolliffe, Brian Kelly, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Keano Kini, Ben Liyou, Ken Maumalo, Josiah Pahulu, Chris Randall, Phillip Sami, Harley Smith-Shields, Sam Verrills, Ryder Williams

Supplementary contracts: Zane Harrison, Arama Hau, Tukimihia Simpkins, Sam Stephenson

Who plays where?

Fullback
The Titans have three options to play at fullback, and all of them are too good to miss out on week-to-week first-grade option.

For years, AJ Brimson has been the first-choice fullback, but the form of Jayden Campbell and the emergence of Keano Kini likely means he has now dropped away to be the third choice.

Kini's breakout 2024 season should leave him with the inside running on the fullback jumper, and he is the player we expect to be there when the Titans are at full strength.

Campbell and Brimson should feature elsewhere in the side.

Fullback is certainly a spot where the Gold Coast have plenty of depth though, with youngster Jaylan de Groot the fourth option in the squad to play as the number-one jumper.

Wingers
On the wings, Alofiana Khan-Pereira was the 2024 top try-scorer in the NRL, and with his defence and ability under the high ball also improving throughout the campaign, he will hold onto his spot to start 2025.

The other side of the park should be occupied by the talented Jojo Fifita, although he is less secure in his spot.

Jaylan de Groot again poses as the likely first-choice backup option as he works into his career, while Harley Smith-Shields is also on the Gold Coast and will push for opportunity.

Ken Maumalo rounds out the options to play on the wing for Des Hasler.

Centres
Strong ball-runner and experienced outside back Phillip Sami will be the first picked in the centres.

Formerly a winger who could play in the centres, his game has transitioned into that of a full-time centre in recent years, and he has made a real fist of it.

Brian Kelly should be named as the other centre for the Titans. He could also yet take up goal-kicking duties for the Titans following the departure of Tanah Boyd to the New Zealand Warriors.

There is some talk Carter Gordon could feature in the centres, while the likes of Harley Smith-Shields, Jaylan De Groot and youngster Tony Francis are the other options to play in the centres throughout 2025.

Halves
The halves may be the biggest question for the Titans heading into 2025, because they quite literally don't have a recognised halfback within their Top 30.

Some rumours have arrived in recent days suggesting AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell will form a new-look halves combination with Kieran Foran relegated to a bench role, but that frankly appears to be a recipe for disaster.

Both Brimson and Campbell are fullbacks who have been used at five-eighth in the past, and that's the spot they should be fighting over, with the other to come from the bench.

We are going with Brimson at six, and Kieran Foran - who is the club's most experienced and potentially important player for 2025 - at the seven.

Carter Gordon has been doing the bulk of his training at halfback and could feature throughout the year, with youngster Ryder Williams also pushing for a debut.

Tanah Boyd's move to the Warriors, as well as the (at this point) non-signing of Thomas Weaver, leaves the Titans a little short in the depth department.

Middle forwards
The Titans have one of the strongest middle-forward groups in the competition heading into the 2025 campaign.

The signing of Reagan Campbell-Gillard from the Parramatta Eels should see him slot straight in at prop, with club captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui shuffling across to lock forward as a result.

Campbell-Gillard will be joined in the front row by long-term Titans stalwart and fringe Queensland State of Origin player Moeaki Fotuaika.

There is also Chris Randall, who has added the ability to play at lock to his repertoire in recent years. The dummy half could yet push for the starting number 13 jumper, with Campbell-Gillard coming from the bench and Fa'asuamaleaui starting at prop.

No group in the competition can raise a candle to this, who will then be backed up by Jaimin Jolliffe and Josiah Pahulu, as well as Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui, Ben Liyou and Jacob Alick-Wiencke.

Hooker
As mentioned, Chris Randall has a chance of starting at lock, even if that's not the selection call we have made.

He will, no matter where, be in the side though and spend some minutes at dummy half in what should be a one-two punch with starting option Sam Verrills.

The former Rooster has, at times, struggled to hit his potential at the Titans, but Hasler and his coaching staff will be hoping this is the year he can go to the next level.

The Titans have no other backup at number nine throughout the squad.

Edge forwards
The Titans are also exceptionally strong on the edge, with Beau Fermor and David Fifita the walk-up starters for Hasler's outfit.

The duo are both stars in their own right, and while Fifita's defence comes in for criticism at times, there is little doubt both, if they can stay fit, will be in the State of Origin discussion when that part of the season rolls around.

Beyond the duo of starters, Klese Haas is the most obvious backup option in the squad, with Ryan Foran likely to push for a debut at some point this year as he moves into a second year as part of the Top 30.

Interchange
Given the way we have picked the starting 13, the first two options who must feature on the bench are Jayden Campbell, who will fill all of the backline positions but likely come into the season without a defined role, and Chris Randall, who will add plenty of coverage.

Should the Titans go the other way in the halves, then Campbell's spot on the bench will simply belong to either Kieran Foran or AJ Brimson.

The other two spots must go to forwards, with Jaimin Jolliffe a permanent feature on the Titans' bench in recent years and almost a guarantee to do the same in 2025.

Klese Haas wins the other spot for us given his ability to play the second-row.

That does leave Josiah Pahulu in the wilderness, but given his contract blow-up over the off-season and likely departure at the end of the year, that won't come as a major surprise.

In terms of the next forwards in line for a role, Pahulu leads the charge, with Jacob Alick-Wiencke likely behind him, while Carter Gordon could win the utility role at some point during the year if the Titans struggle for form or have injury issues.