Sam Verrills officially inks two-year deal with Gold Coast Titans
Premiership winner Sam Verrills will officially join the Titans next year, signing a two-year deal with the embattled club.
The 23-year-old has had a horror run of injuries since his 2019 breakout campaign in which he won the Provan-Summons Trophy with the Roosters but has recently been back at his best for the club.
Unfortunately for Verrills, the impending arrival of Brandon Smith would likely push him out of the Tricolors line-up next year, with the club giving him an opportunity to negotiate with rival clubs.
Verrills has been linked with a move to the Dragons and Titans, but opted for a move north to revitalize Justin Holbrook’s struggling team.
“Sam has great vision and is a real threat from that whore position,” Holbrook said.
“He learned his craft under Origin hooker Jake Friend and has really shone in that number 9 jersey for the Roosters over the past few seasons.
“We have had great experience strengthening our backbone next year with the arrival of Kieran Foran and our key positions will be further strengthened with the arrival of Sam.
“When you add these two players to our mix of exciting young players who have come through our Pathway programs here on the coast, like AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell and Toby Sexton, we feel really confident about the squad that will we’re building for next year Beyond.”
Signed, sealed and delivered for next season 👏
READ MORE: https://t.co/Q6PWeRrZVV pic.twitter.com/o8J6W0NPkk
— Gold Coast Titans (@GCTitans) August 9, 2022
The addition of Verrills and Manly veteran Kieran Foran will bolster the Titans, who reached the Finals last season but are staring down the barrel of a wooden spoon in 2022.
Opening up on the move, Verrills thanked the Roosters for giving him the opportunity to become a first year.
“Sydney Roosters has been such a big part of my life and I will always be grateful to Robbo [Trent Robinson]the players and all the staff at the club for everything they have done for me and for the memories and lifelong friendships I have made along the way,” he said.
“While it’s good to have my future settled, right now my focus is just to keep working hard and playing my part for the Roosters for the rest of the season.”
Verrills has played 43 games for the Roosters since his debut and will feature in the #9 Springer in the upcoming Finals series.
Trent Robinson was full of praise for the young hooker after the news of his exit.
“Sam has a ‘team first’ ethos and I’ve enjoyed coaching him and getting to know him and his family over the years,” he said.
“Sam is a Premiership winner who has been part of some great moments in the club’s recent history and I would like to thank him for what he has brought to the team over the years.
“As Sam said, we’re not done yet and I look forward to working closely with him as we work towards a strong result.”