Champion completes Titans deal

Gold Coast Titans have signed Melbourne centre Beau Champion on a three-year deal from next season.

Champion, 24, was granted a release from the final years of his existing contract with the Storm to take up a contract with the Titans that lasts until the end of 2014.

He said: “The Storm have been fantastic with me throughout the whole process and I’m really looking to finish the season off well before I join the Titans. It’s been awesome to play alongside the calibre of players that I have here but I just felt Melbourne wasn’t the right thing for me off the field.

“I’m over the moon to have signed with the Titans. It wasn’t even a choice between any other club, I wanted to play with the Titans and that’s it. I’ve got a lot of family on the mid-north Coast right from Kempsey, to Coffs Harbour and up towards Ballina so I’m happy to be closer to them.

“The club has done really well with recruitment so it’s going to be fantastic on both the football side of things as well as the lifestyle.”

Jamal Idris is another recent signing for the Titans as they look to build a squad that can compete for the NRL premiership in 2012.

Managing director Michael Searle said: “The signing of Beau is a big one for us. He is a quality footballer and will add further depth to our backline for the next few years.

“The thought of him playing on one side of the field and having big Jamal on the other side of the field is an exciting one.”