Manchester Titans Adult Contact Team season preview 2015. With the 2015 season already upon us, we take a look behind the scenes of how the club is preparing.
Recruitment and coaching are always going to be the keys to a successful season and under Head Coach Nigel Dias’ watchful eye very few things go unnoticed. The Titans 2015 offence is being run by the young forward thinking Thomas Leonard who has just completed the winter season with the University of Manchester Tyrants. Calling the defence this year is no other than Coach Mark Sloan who is returning for another season bringing with him his hard working blue collar attitude towards football.
We spoke to a number of Titans players regarding the fourth coming season, here is what 6 year veteran Matthew Mccormack had to say.
“This is my 6th year with the Titans and every season I am seeing an improvement on the rookies we attract to the club, as a player the coaches are of premiership standard. In a few years I can see the Manchester Titans competing at the highest level, we now have everything in place to push this club where it belongs”
The 2015 Rookie class also shows great potential with almost 40 rookies signing for the club this winter. The Titans are also pleased to welcome a number of graduating Junior players and University players into the team who have the ability to compete and push some of our more experienced players from the get go. The club has also welcomed two European transfers, Mateuz Kapinski from the Polish Team and French National Driss Mokhtari. We caught up with 2015 rookie Adam Postlethwaite to hear his thoughts on joining the Titans.
“This is my first season with the Titans. The professionalism of the club from organising training and camp to the new kits really stands out. A real “family” feeling runs through the club with everyone working hard and wanting the same thing…to win!”
The Titans have been working hard throughout our offseason and preseason. All their athletes have been provided with bespoke strength and conditioning programs curtsey of club partner Next Level Fitness and head strength coach Joe Mullarkey. Athletes also attended team lifting sessions at city centre gym FST Fitness and have been using state of the fitness equipment provided by Exigo UK. As preseason drew to a close the Titans took on their first big test of the year with a scrimmage against premiership side and long-time rival the Lancashire Wolverines. This was the first outing for the Titans rookies and the first time facing a non-familiar opponent. The scrimmage was hard hitting and spirited and gave some great insights into the sides strengths and weaknesses.
The Titans would like to thank the Lancashire Wolverines for traveling to AJ Bell stadium and wish them the best of luck in their 2015 season. The team’s preseason culminated with a 2 day residential training camp the week prior to the season opener in Carlisle. The team’s 2015 camp was the most successful taking over 70 players and coaches away for the weekend. Camp allowed the teams positional coaches and coordinators time to iron out the finer points needed to get the team game ready, not to mention the added effects of the whole squad living, eating and training together for 48 hours is invaluable.
We spoke to Senior Team manager James Dean and asked for his opinion on the team’s spring camp.
“Our 2015 Training Camp was the most successful to date with over 60 players in attendance. This was the teams 4th annual spring camp, however for the first time ever our camp was inclusive of our 2015 subs meaning there were no additional costs to our players. Without a doubt this made camp much more accessible to all of our players and really helped develop the entire team. Our coaches did a fantastic of planning and organising our session ensuring our players had enough time for rest and recovery and ensuring all our sessions were productive.”
The team is now looking forward to taking on rookie side Carlisle Sentinels on Easter Sunday when the Titans make the trip up to Cumbria where they are hopeful of bringing back the first win of the season. Here is what Offensive Coordinator Thomas Leonard had to say about a very productive pre-season.
“We’ve had a great class of rookies join the club, with some real promising talent for the Titans future. With our pre-season training finished and a great weekend away at our annual training camp we are ready to take on a long and tough season with a talented team of players and coaches”