Male recruit Jason Saab broke down remembering his friendship with the late Sea Eagles player Keith Titmuss.
Titmuss, 20, died last week after collapsing at the end of a Manly training session.
The young striker’s death rocked Manly and the wider NRL community. The Sea Eagles gave the players time to mourn the loss of their young teammate.
Saab, who was granted a release by the Dragons last week to bond with Manly, said he was in “denial” the first time he heard the news of death from his close friend.
“I just collapsed. I couldn’t believe it,” he said Nine messages.
“I was in so much rejection and shock. It shook me.”
The two were so close that Saab admitted they had often talked about playing together just before the Dragons granted the winger a release.
Remembering the conversations with his late friend, an emotional Saab broke down and was moved to tears when he revealed he had sent Titmuss a message telling him he would join him shortly before the young star died Manly connect.
“To have that feeling, it would have been amazing to play and train with your best buddy Footy,” he added.
“We always talked about it. I wrote to him that day and told him I would be there next week.
“I never got a message back. I asked him how the training is.”
Saab said he hopes he can honor Titmuss as he embarks on the next chapter of his NRL career.
“I have a reason to be there. I can walk past Keith every morning,” he said.
“There’s a Hall of Fame poster of his in the shed.
“It feels right. I have a feeling that there is a script that says I’m here playing first grade and the next Sea Eagles number next to him.”
