LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Gold Coast Titans have faced a setback ahead of their final pre-season match against the Parramatta Eels, as centre Brian Kelly has been ruled out due to a virus.
This unfortunate development has forced the team to make a change, with Harley Smith-Shields stepping up to replace Kelly in the starting lineup.
Smith-Shields, recruited from the Canberra Raiders, made his unofficial club debut last weekend against The Dolphins and has already accumulated 15 NRL games under his belt from 2020 to 2023.
As a result of Kelly's absence, Aaron Schoupp has been called onto the extended bench, where he joins Oskar Bryant, Tony Francis, and Kyle Foxwell.
The match is set to take place on Sunday, February 25, at the North Ipswich Reserve, adding to the excitement and anticipation surrounding this pre-season challenge.