Brimson hoping centre days are over with No.1 target in sight

Titans dynamo AJ Brimson has declared his future is as a fullback or half, with hopes the experiment of playing him in the centres can now be put to bed. 

The 25-year-old Maroons representative has been among the Gold Coast's best players since moving back closer to the action in Round 6, following an opening four games in which he played at centre for the struggling club. 

He was the Titans' best on ground in Round 8 while playing as a fullback in place of the injured Jayden Campbell, scoring two tries and busting through five attempted tackles on his way to 186 run metres.

It saw Brimson claim the maximum six Dally M points on offer and scoop the club's players' player award. 

That level of involvement is a far cry from what he experienced through the opening month of the season, and in three games back in the spine he’s already exceeded the number of touches on the ball (105) that he got while in the centres (73).

When asked about the prospect of returning to the centres once Campbell is back in action in around a month's time, Brimson didn't mince his words. 

“To be honest, I hope not. I'm hoping to stay in the spine somewhere,” Brimson said.

I was waiting for the ball out there in the centres, so I'm glad to be back in the spine.

AJ Brimson

“I'm a player that likes to get my hands on the on the ball, especially when I see something, I just want to get it off the ruck and go.

“Whether at six or one, that's kind of where I want to be going forward.”

Earlier this year following a fourth-straight defeat, coach Des Hasler shifted Brimson into the halves in place of Tanah Boyd for the Round 6 match against the Raiders, before Campbell's injury saw him moved back to fullback. 

Brimson conceded that while Campbell may end up the preferred option at fullback once he returns, he's hopeful there’s a way for them both to be close to the action.

“Obviously ‘JC’ is a quality player, I love playing with JC and there's no doubt he'll come straight back in,” Brimson said.

“Where we all fit is a little headache for Des, but I’m hoping I can play six or one.

“Obviously I enjoy playing [fullback], but anywhere around the ball I'm going to enjoy.

“I'm loving it being back there. I'm a bit rusty at times, but I haven't trained too much there recently so I'm still getting my feet back.”

Much will depend on the Gold Coast's form over the next few weeks, on the back of securing their first win of the season over the Warriors in Auckland on ANZAC Day. 

Brimson said the result can serve as a springboard for the club, whose playing group have maintained a high level of confidence despite going winless through their first six games. 

This Saturday night they host the ladder-leading Storm who are riding a four-match winning streak and who the Titans have beaten just once in their past 10 attempts. 

“The last month we've been in the game and we've just been sticking at it,” Brimson said.

“I've been going into games very confident that we're going to win even though we haven't been getting results, we've just been getting a little bit more confident every week knowing that we can stick it to the top teams.”