Harry Grant Gets a Text From Titans Co-Owner Matty Johns as the Gold Coast Join the Race for the Storm Hooker
Harry Grant has heard from the Gold Coast Titans. Co-owner Matty Johns told the Courier Mail he texted the Melbourne Storm and Kangaroos hooker as soon as clubs were allowed to talk to him on 1 November.
Grant turned down his Storm option for 2028 and can sign anywhere for that season. Manly were reported last week to be leading the race.
What Johns told him
“Once 1 November hit, I sent him a text and said ‘Harry, all the craziness is about to start, but one of the most important things is that we can’t let this affect the friendship and the families’,” Johns said.
“You’ve just got to separate the business and the relationship side of it. I just didn’t want Harry thinking that we were exerting pressure on him. But it would be great to land him. Players like Harry bleed confidence through a team.”
Johns’s son Cooper played with Grant at the Storm, and the two are close, Zero Tackle reported.
The Queensland twist
The Courier Mail also reported that Grant and his partner are keen to move home to Queensland. That would cut his options to the Titans, the Broncos, the Cowboys and the Dolphins, and would rule out Manly.
There is a family link too. News Corp reported the Titans were interested in Storm forward Trent Loiero, whose sister is Grant’s partner.
Following Cameron Smith
Johns sees Grant as a teacher for a young squad that finished second last in 2026. “Harry sat behind Cameron Smith as an apprentice at Melbourne and learned so much off him,” he said. “Now he could do something like that for the young guys we’ve got coming through.”
The Titans already have Zane Harrison, Keano Kini, Jayden Campbell and captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui signed long-term. Landing Grant would be one of the biggest signings in the club’s 20 years.
Grant is busy with Australia first. He plays New Zealand in Sunday’s World Cup final, after the 44-12 semi-final win over Samoa.
