Long-time Gold Coast Titans recruitment manager Ezra Howe has officially departed the club after seven years, with reports confirming he will reunite with Mal Meninga at the Perth Bears.
The move could significantly impact the NRL landscape, potentially giving the Bears an inside track to sign high quality talent and spend a lot of money for the short and long-term.
At the Titans under Howe have signed AJ Brimson, Keano Kini, and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to deals that expire in the 2030s.
Hiring Howe means the Bears are likely to want to keep their roster together over a significant long term window while signing high quality talent, as well as possibly create opportunity for young players from Queensland to join the expansion team like how we saw the Dolphins go after young talent that were behind multiple players waiting for their time when they were building their roster for the inaugural season.
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The Titans confirmed Howe’s exit on Wednesday, stating:
“The Titans can confirm that long-term recruitment manager Ezra Howe has finished in the role he’s held for the past seven seasons. Howe joined the Titans in 2019 and has made a significant contribution to the club. Aside from the recruitment role, he’s also helped develop the club’s junior elite pathways programs.
“Howe will finish up his duties at the Titans effective immediately. The club wishes Ezra and his family all the best for the future and thank him for the significant contribution he has made over a long period of time on the Gold Coast. His replacement will be announced in due course.”
Howe’s recruitment legacy includes helping lure Fa’asuamaleaui from the Melbourne Storm and Fifita from the Brisbane Broncos, two of the biggest signings in Titans history.
With both forwards off contract at the end of 2026 (assuming that Tino declines his player option), the timing aligns perfectly with the Perth Bears’ planned NRL entry in 2027.
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Having worked with Meninga during his time as the Titans’ high performance and culture consultant, Howe’s new role in Perth could strengthen the Bears’ pitch to sign the marquee duo.
As the expansion club builds its foundation, securing elite talent like Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita would be a massive statement of intent, and having Howe onboard could be a decisive factor.
The Perth Bears have also made it clear they have a lot of interest in Selwyn Cobbo, who signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins last week for the 2026 season.
There is a possibility that potentially, the Bears could land Selwyn Cobbo, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita, making it three marquee talents that could head over to Western Australia for the inaugural season, given their connections with Mal Meninga or where financially other teams won't match the Bears.