By GLEN SCOTT and AAP

IF the Gold Coast Titans move half as well on the field as their cheerleaders on the sideline, they should have a bumper first year in the NRL.

The competition's new franchise has adopted an American-style cheerleading routine featuring gymnasts, acrobats and even cheerboys to help entertain its fans from 2007 when it enters the competition.

Choreographer Anthony Ikin, the younger brother of former Brisbane Broncos five-eighth Ben Ikin, is assembling a cheerleading squad of 20 girls and boys aged between 16 and 27.

The Queensland Reds rugby union outfit has been embroiled in controversy following last weekend's match against the Waratahs, with their cheer squad's risque routine prompting a flood of angry emails to Reds chief executive Theo Psaros.

Titans marketing manager Stephen Burns is looking to avoid a similar kerfuffle and wants his cheer squad to be recognised for their talent, not their sex appeal.

"If you can have good looking girls who are skilled, people appreciate that," Burns said.

"This is not a beauty show. It's all about the skills that these girls ? and guys by the way ? will exhibit on the night of the games."

Ikin acknowledged it was difficult to find the right balance between developing sex appeal for the male-dominated fans of rugby league, while still keeping the show family-orientated.

"The latest styles like Britney Spears and Christine Aguilera are influencing the dance industry quite heavily, so it's hard not to be too provocative," Ikin said.

"The style we're doing at the Titans is different because we're going to utilise gymnasts and boys.

"It's a more high energetic, athletic approach."

Eight cheerleaders will showcase the routine at the Titans' charity ball at Jupiters Casino on Saturday night before a squad of 13 performs at an NRL trial match between the Bulldogs and New Zealand Warriors at Carrara Stadium on February 25.

The Titans will also use the ball as an opportunity to officially unveil their jersey.

The jersey's design was the result of an on-line poll involving the general public, and Burns plans to use a similar strategy to name the club's cheer squad.

"We're going to involve the public again, use a forum site, and we'll announce the name of the cheer squad mid-year," he said.