Titans bring the axe down on Henry
Hayne survives on Gold Coast for now
THE Gold Coast Titans have refused to disclose the reasons behind coach Neil Henry’s sacking.
Henry was officially axed on Monday afternoon with a year to run on his contract following the ugly fallout with star player Jarryd Hayne and the Gold Coast’s late-season fadeout.
Hayne has survived on the Gold Coast for now but he may not still be at the club in 2018.
The decision was brewing for a week after the Gold Coast’s board met last Monday to discuss the issues that were crippling the club.
Titans chief executive Graham Annesley delivered Henry the news on Monday morning, after he coached a training session, but refused to reveal the reasons to media.
The press conference brought back memories of the AFL’s Gold Coast Suns’ decision to sack foundation coach Guy McKenna in 2014.
“There were a range of reasons,” Annesley said.
“I know the media has been focussed very much on a head-to-head issue between Neil and Jarryd but that was really just the catalyst that brought the issue to the fore and meant it needed to be addressed before we got to the end of the season.
“But there were wider issues, many of which I can’t go into, that the board needed to consider.”
The Hayne drama and player unrest within the squad contributed to Henry’s demise but the Titans ultimately decided Henry wasn’t the man to lead them to the club’s first premiership.
In three years at the Titans Henry won 28 of 75 games (37%), only a marginally better percentage than his overall NRL career of 108 wins in 248 games (43.5%).
He guided the club to last year’s finals series, its first since 2010, but they are now languishing in 14th spot on the ladder and have conceded the most points (592) of any team in the competition this season.
In his 10 years as an NRL head coach Henry won one finals game and never had a team ranked in the top four defensive units.
Annesley admitted Henry’s feud with Hayne made the Gold Coast’s board act on the simmering issues within the club but a player revolt did not contribute to the decision.
“There is a view that this is a player-driver outcome,” Annesley said.
“If it was a player-driven outcome Neil would still be the coach.
“There were a range of issues, not only player opinion, that played into the decision.”
Annesley said Hayne would remain at the club.
“Jarryd is currently a contracted player,” Annesley said.