In what is a heartwarming and inspiring gesture, the Sea Eagles have paid the Titmuss family the entire sum which Keith was to earn through his 2021 contract.
This is the touching story that will inspire and motivate two Manly stars heading into their first NRL finals series.
Sea Eagles try-scoring freak, Jason Saab, and backrow sensation, Josh Schuster, were great mates of rising Manly forward Keith Titmuss, who passed away after collapsing at pre-season training on November 23.
The Daily Telegraph can now reveal that Manly has paid Titmuss’ family the entire $100,000 that Keith was to earn through his 2021 contract.
The club’s act of generosity and goodwill was inspired by the Titmuss’ family strength and courage.
Manly honoured Titmuss’ deal despite not having any contractual obligation to do so.
The Titmuss family has been stunned by Manly’s magnanimous act.
The contract money has been placed into Titmuss’ estate and Manly has vowed to continue supporting the family.
Titmuss died aged 23 with the official cause of death still unknown.
One source close to Manly said: “It’s what footy clubs and sport in general is all about – trying to help those who need it. Keith was much loved at Manly and he has a beautiful family.”
Saab and Schuster were particularly close to Titmuss.
Schuster and Titmuss attended Mount Pritchard Primary School together before reuniting at Westfields Sports High in Fairfield West.
The pair were 15-year friends. In fact, it was Titmuss’ decision to join Manly which led to Schuster leaving the Parramatta junior rugby league system at aged 15 to join the Sea Eagles.
The scorer of 23 tries this season, Saab also attended Westfields Sports High with Schuster and Titmuss.
Saab has dedicated his 2021 season to Titmuss and even wears a custom-made mouth guard inscripted with his mate’s official number at Manly — 623.
Schuster has a routine where he scrawls ‘KT’ — Titmuss’ initials — on his wrist strapping before each game.
When Titmuss passed away, Schuster wrote: “My brother … my best mate … I don’t know how to put into words how broken I am.
“You were my best mate since primary school … all the jokes and all the time you used to bully me in tackle footy … and your kindness and respect towards people, I’m going to miss you brother.”
In March, Saab told The Daily Telegraph: “I’ll do as many things as I can to honour him every time I take the field, but the most important way is to carry him in my head and my heart.
“He’s my motivation. I’d know what he would want me to do and that is what I’m trying to do. He believed in me and if I wasn’t getting a run he would be defending me.
“Keith was extremely loyal. I owe it to him. That’s why I do what I do now, in memory of him, to try and make everything I do on the field related to him.”
Titmuss’ mum, Lofa, often posts on social media expressing her pride at how strongly Schuster and Saab have been playing this season.
Just days after their son’s death, Lofa said: “Parents should never have to bury their child. We never thought we would be those parents that say those words. We are full of tears.”
Manly is preparing for Friday night’s top four finals game against Melbourne at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Try of the year contender as Manly seal top-four berth
In the space of two minutes, Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic sent an ominous warning to his finals rivals: he had no intention of slowing down.
Even a whisper of the full-back’s name sends shivers through the opposing dressing room, such has been the magic vein of form he finds himself in.
In the Sea Eagles’ 46-18 triumph over the Cowboys, arguably the NRL’s finest player ensured the Townsville faithful would remember what he brings to the field as he prepares to do the same against the Melbourne Storm.
A bright start from North Queensland failed to halt the Trbojevic show, although it slowed it down for a period. In fact it was a ‘Tommy Turbo’ error on the Cowboys line which kick started proceedings.
Livewire teenager Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow pounced on the loose ball, running the length of the field and fending off Jason Saab in the process to open the scoring.
But Trbojevic and his brother Jake were sniffing.
Set for set Manly made small territorial inroads, and that enabled Saab to earn his revenge. The towering winger leapt above opposite number Murray Taulagi to touch down off a Daly Cherry-Evans cross field kick.
That was invitation enough for Trbojevic to declare the game his own.
With just three minutes remaining in the first half, the ace number one latched onto an inside pass from Kieran Foran, bursting into the clear before putting his brother over to score.
From the following set, he did it all on his own.
Yet another short ball from Foran put Trbojevic in the clear yet again, this time burning Valentine Holmes on the outside to score himself.
The 24-year-old quietened down for much of the second stanza, however with seven minutes on the clock he toyed with the Cowboys, shrugging off several would-be defenders to cross yet again.
He even found time late in the piece to add another highlight to his reel, breaking into the back field and putting Daly Cherry-Evans over untouched.
Cherry-Evans was quick to return the favour. On the final play of the game, a Reuben Garrick break from his own in goal put his skipper down the sideline, who kicked back on the inside for Trbojevic to score his third.
He finished with formidable numbers – three tries, 246 running metres, 14 tackle busts, four line breaks, two line break assists and two try assists – while a desperate effort from Haumolo Olakau’atu to keep a kick from travelling dead in goal put Jake over for his second as well.
If there is any danger to Melbourne’s quest for back to back titles, it will take the shape of a fit and firing Trbojevic.
