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Brimson NRL display excites Titans coach

3 minute read

No one was happier than Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook to witness fullback AJ Brimson's two-try NRL display against North Queensland.

Coach JUSTIN HOLBROOK during a Gold Coast NRL training session at Gold Coast Titans HQ in Gold Coast, Australia.
Coach JUSTIN HOLBROOK during a Gold Coast NRL training session at Gold Coast Titans HQ in Gold Coast, Australia. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook knew he had a special talent on his hands in AJ Brimson within moments of arriving at the NRL club last year.

That's why it came as no surprise to Holbrook when Brimson, in just his second appearance since suffering a fracture in his back, ran the show in the Titans' emphatic 30-10 NRL win over North Queensland on Sunday.

The 21-year-old scored two tries, set up another and picked up 159 run metres in arguably the Titans' best performance under Holbrook.

It was a performance that caught the eye of Queensland State of Origin coach Kevin Walters, who was in the CBUS Super Stadium stands, and Holbrook wouldn't be surprised if Brimson is donning a Maroons jersey later this year.

"I've said since I got here in November ... I rated him the best player in our team," Holbrook said.

"I just love watching what he can do.

"It's great to have him back.

"He's just got that top-end speed that puts him in his own class really and it's just great to see him in in full flight.

"Adds a bit more strike to our side that's for sure."

Despite the seriousness of his injury, Brimson said he had no fears about returning to first grade.

"My back feels fine now. I got an early hit on it actually at the start of this game so it's a good test for it but it felt fine," he said.

"I haven't worried about my back since I've been back and obviously, if I was a bit hesitant about it then I wouldn't have returned so I was feeling 100 per cent."

Brimson felt Sunday's win, especially the first-half where the Titans scored 20 unanswered points, was among the most complete displays he'd experienced in his 38-game NRL career.

"I can't remember the last time that we were as dominant as that," he said.

"We didn't want the half to end ... we just wanted to keep going.

"It's been a while since we've had that ... just complete dominance."

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