The Rabbitohs have swooped in to link up with Keebra Park High School in a stunning coup after the Gold Coast Titans ceased their affiliation with the rugby league nursery.
The Titans have said they are “disappointed” to end their partnership with Keebra Park, but said it was in the “best interests of” the club and the Gold Coast region.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Keebra Park wanted the Titans to sign an exclusive deal with their school, which would mean the NRL club would have had to end partnerships with other schools on the Gold Coast.
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With the Titans not willing to sign an exclusive deal, the Rabbitohs quickly made their move and inked a three-year partnership deal with Keebra Park.
“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,” Titans chairman Dennis Watt told The Daily Telegraph.
“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 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.
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“The Keebra Park school community will always be important to us, and we wish them well for the future.”
The prestigious Gold Coast school has been responsible for a plethora of current and former NRL stars, including Reece Walsh, AJ Brimson, Payne Haas, Benji Marshall, Jai Arrow and Titans players David Fifita and Moeaki Fotuaika.
The revelation is a blow to incoming Titans coach Des Hasler, who will no longer have Queensland’s most powerful rugby league school at his disposal.
The Keebra Park situation isn’t the first time in recent months that the Titans have been left high and dry regarding development channels after QLD Cup side Burleigh spurned the Gold Coast to sign an affiliate deal with the Broncos.
