The Gold Coast Titans have been left stunned and disappointed by the loss of Keebra Park High School from their pathways program.
Keebra Park has produced an incredible amount of NRL talent over the years, with the likes of David Fifita, Tanah Boyd, AJ Brimson, Moeaki Fotuaika and Alofiana Khan-Pereira, as well as NRLW star Chantay Kiria-Ratu committed to the club long-term having previously attended the school.
It's believed however that Keebra Park wanted an exclusive deal with the Titans, who also work with a number of other schools in the region.
Instead of being a fish in the sea, Keebra Park will now link up with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The Titans said they would not jepoardise the club's vision to be a pathway for the entire region.
“We are disappointed we were unable to satisfy Keebra Park's demands around exclusivity as we need to act in the best interests of our entire catchment area," club chairman Dennis Watt said in a statement.
"We take the view as a club that we will continue to offer a pathway for young boys and girls seeking to represent their families and communities at the highest level and where possible, we strive to keep families together.
“We proudly boast several Keebra Park alumni who are committed long-term here on the Gold Coast; including the likes of David Fifita, Tanah Boyd, AJ Brimson, Moeaki Fotuaika, Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Chantay Kiria-Ratu, with a number of these former students named to represent their family heritage in the upcoming Pacific Championships.
“We are grateful for the close working relationships we have had over the years with teachers and staff who have always had the best interests of their students, their school, and their community at heart.
“The Keebra Park school community will always be important to us, and we wish them well for the future.”
The report suggests that the Rabbitohs' partnership agreement with Keebra Park will run for the next three years.
South Sydney have links in Queensland, and last year were able to sign junior Maroons Origin half Jye Gray.
They have agreed to a three-year partnership with Keebra Park, with the school having access to South Sydney's coaching and elite pathways in the exclusive agreement.
“This is a great opportunity for the Club to expand its pathways into Queensland with the best Rugby League school academy in Queensland,” Rabbitohs chief operating officer Brock Schaefer said in a statement.
“Boys and girls from Keebra Park State High School will have the opportunity to access elite coaching through the Rabbitohs and in turn we will have the chance to have a hand in developing the best young, elite playing and coaching talent in the game.
“We identified in our strategic plan and our recent football department review that ongoing and increased investment in our elite pathway programs is crucial to our success at the NRL and senior levels within our Club. This exclusive affiliation agreement will enhance the work we're already doing in this space and will provide benefits at the elite levels in the not-too-distant future.
“We're very excited about this partnership with Keebra Park State High School, which will be led from our end by Tyrone McCarthy who has extensive experience in building academies as well as Queensland Rugby League, and we can't wait to get started as we build into season 2024 and beyond.”