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Zane Harrison - Player Discussion

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Measured half Harrison helping unlock Campbell's natural game

After experiencing his first NRL win, rookie Titans halfback Zane Harrison was looking to continue to build into his role and develop his partnership with livewire five-eighth Jayden Campbell.

Still only 20, Harrison has been entrusted by coach Josh Hannay to take his place in the spine, with his combination with Campbell key to their continuing success.

“I love playing alongside him, he's such a good player, such a good bloke and we've connected really well," Harrison said.

“We're always chatting with each other and he's one of those players that can pull something out of nothing, so, I love playing alongside him.

“I think I complement him well, so that's why I think we're improving our combination every week.

“I'm kind of that specialised 7, and he's more of that ball-running 6 and I'm just trying to put him in space as much as possible.

“Our combination's coming along nicely.”

A former Peter Sterling medal winner who won a National Schoolboys title with Palm Beach Currumbin State High School, Harrison also said he was benefitting from the faith put in him by Hannay.

Developing alongside the relatively inexperienced spine featuring Campbell, fullback Keano Kini and hooker Oliver Pascoe - who also made his NRL debut this year - Harrison said he was enjoying the challenge of getting better together.

“I'm learning heaps, trying to improve every week and I'm just soaking it all up, soaking up all the advice from coaches and players,” Harrison said.

“It’s good to get a bit of experience and I'm learning heaps along the way.

“(Hannay) has been so good, started in pre-season with his coaching, his one-on-one coaching and then leading into the season, constant feedback and just backing me to play my game.

“I can't speak highly enough of Josh and I thank him for the opportunity and I'll keep giving back to him.

“He puts faith in all the young boys and he's not scared to make that call.

“We've got a really young group here, so we're building along nicely and we're going to keep working hard and keep building.”

Having made that call to hand Harrison his debut in Round 10 against the Roosters, Hannay said he had been impressed with how his halfback had taken on board more responsibility to help unlock Campbell’s natural game.

“I just feel like there's a little bit of continuity going on there at the moment between him and Zane," Hannay said.

“And I think you can't underestimate (how he's helping) – it’s a big call for a kid that's played two or three games for what Zane's doing for Jayden … he's sort of freeing Jayden up.

“Jayden's a senior partner there, but Zane, for a kid, is just such an (asset).

“He's an out-and-out halfback and I think he's really allowing Jayden to flourish out there and just play his game.

“So credit to Jayden, but also I think that credit needs to go to Zane.”

Campbell agreed having Harrison by his side had helped him improve his own game in recent week.

“(Our combination) is good, getting better every week,” Campbell said.

“Zane's got a really level head, especially for his age.

“Makes my job easier and opens up my game a lot more.

“(In the win over the Broncos), we wanted to stick to our process and wanted to stick for it longer.

“(In games), once we do that, the game opens up a little bit more and it makes it easier for me to play my game.

Next up, the Titans will face Wests Tigers, with both sides set to open their seasons next year in Las Vegas.

Looking to claim their first back-to-back wins of the year, Campbell said it was important the Titans took the right attitude into this game at Leichhardt Oval in order to keep building.

“Can’t get too complacent now that we've got to win,” Campbell said.

“Hopefully we can get on a roll the next few weeks.

“We've just got to keep playing our game, to keep going back to the drawing board and getting better every week.

“Josh and the coaching staff, they've worked really hard with us over the pre-season and during the year … we've just got to keep implementing and doing what they're teaching us and telling us to do and I'm sure we'll win a lot more games.”
 
REPOST.

Gold Coast Titans in talks to secure rising star halfback Zane Harrison on massive contract extension


Field goal hero Zane Harrison has told the Titans he wants to win a premiership on the Gold Coast. Now the club has moved to lock down the “diehard Titans tragic” before he hits the open market.

Field goal hero Zane Harrison has told the Titans he wants to win a premiership on the Gold Coast as the club races to secure the NRL’s hottest young halfback to a contract extension.

The Titans are hoping to lock Harrison into a new deal to keep him on the Gold Coast until at least 2029 before he becomes a free agent on November 1.

Harrison, 20, celebrated the finest moment of his six-game NRL career on Saturday night when he iced a last-minute field goal to beat premiership favourites Penrith 19-18.

The clutch one-pointer before 20,047 at Cbus Super Stadium proved Harrison is a star on the rise and could be the long-term No.7 the Titans have yearned for since foundation halfback Scott Prince’s departure in 2012.

A local product from just south of the Tweed, Harrison has impressed coach Josh Hannay from the moment he arrived at the Titans to replace Des Hasler late last year.

Harrison is contracted to the Titans until the end of 2027, but Gold Coast has made moves to lock him up before cashed-up PNG enters the NRL player market from November 1 this year.

Hannay said he was confident Harrison would remain at the Titans given his connection to the region.

“Zane is a diehard Titans tragic,” Hannay said.

“He has grown up wanting to be a Titan and win a competition on the Gold Coast. He is an out-and-out Gold Coast kid.

“Zane has spoken often about his love for the Gold Coast, club and desire to win a competition. He is very driven to do that.

“Some kids at his age are drifting and play rugby league because they’re good at it.

“He is driven to be very good in his position and win. He wants to win competitions and do it on the Gold Coast.

“He is cut from a different cloth in that regard.”

A schoolboys star at Palm Beach Currumbin in 2024, Harrison has been steadily finding his feet in the NRL this season since making his debut against the Roosters in Round 10.

He stood up when it mattered against the Panthers, creating three tries before nailing his second field goal attempt from 18m with 18 seconds left on the clock.

When Hannay handed Harrison his NRL debut, he told the youngster he would persist with him no matter the results.

“It means a lot,” Harrison said of Hannay’s faith.

“The coach has backed me to wear this number seven jersey and lead the boys around at such a young age. It’s special to be playing NRL.

“I’m in this position because I have to ice those moments.

“I was confident in my ability. I’ve done the work at training and it’s a good feeling.

“I shanked the first one so had to make sure I got that one.”

Harrison will get the chance to go up against another young prodigy in Lachlan Galvin when the Titans chase back-to-back wins against the Bulldogs on Friday night.

One player that won’t be featuring for the Titans is rookie winger Jensen Taumoepeau, who is facing the remainder of the season the sidelines after requiring surgery on a dislocated ankle.
 
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