Rogers' return puzzles Titans feeder club - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Rogers' return puzzles Titans feeder club

By Laine Clark 29/06/2011 03:22:47 PM Comments (0)

The shock return of retiree Mat Rogers for NRL battlers the Gold Coast Titans has been met with frustration by their feeder club, Queensland Cup outfit the Ipswich Jets.

While keen not to burn bridges with his NRL big brother, Jets co-coach Ben Walker wondered why the Titans had not looked at the second tier Queensland Cup for a long-term solution.

And Walker went as far as claiming the NRL standard had dropped due to most clubs - not just the Titans - ignoring Queensland Cup talent.

The dead-last Titans confirmed on Wednesday that they had re-registered Rogers, 35, for the remainder of the season as they try to avoid the wooden spoon.

While mindful of his club's relationship with the Titans, Walker did not know why the Gold Coast had preferred Rogers over Queensland Cup players.

"If they want to bring an old fella out of retirement for seven or eight games and think that is the solution for the years to come I would be pretty puzzled with that," said the ex-Brisbane Bronco.

"It's not my job to comment on how the Titans run their organisation, but he's had his turn.

"He's probably not going to solve their problem in the halves unless he is going to play for another three or four years, which he isn't.

"I can't see what the point would be.

"It would be frustrating for our boys and a lot of other clubs."

Walker wondered why 2011 Titans signing and ex-South Sydney utility Luke Capewell - now calling the shots for the Jets - was not considered a better option than Rogers.

"He's 22, he's had 40-odd first grade games and he is braining it for us - I am certain you would have a long-term half prospect in him but I am not the Titans coach," he said.

"I feel like I am banging my head against the wall for some of these fellas.

"I know the ability that some of the guys we have got and I know they would comfortably handle the NRL."

But Walker was not pointing the finger solely at the Titans - he said many NRL clubs were guilty of overlooking Queensland Cup talent.

He said there was more than enough talent to feed at least two more NRL expansion clubs if Queensland Cup players were used.

"Some clubs use them (Queensland Cup players) like the Broncos and get great results and others don't and get the results that they have got," he said.

"I firmly believe the NRL standard has slipped.

"Queensland Cup players are better than or equal to players in the NRL system and they are just not being looked at.

"If I was starting an NRL team I would save a club at least $2 million by picking Queensland Cup players and they would be more than competitive.

"You look at clubs and some of their best players have come from the Queensland Cup - Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans, Canterbury's Trent Hodkinson, the Broncos' Matt Gillett and Jack Reed.

"It is garbage saying we don't have the depth to field more NRL sides."

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