STONE COACH KILLER

MESSY AFFAIR ENDS WALTERS’ HARD CALL HENRY BY NUMBERS COAST IMAGE CRISIS WHY AXE FELL

SO farcical was the circus surrounding the axing of Neil Henry that the club allowed two senior players to declare their ongoing support for the coach almost 48 hours after the board had made a decision to sack him.

Titans bosses revealed yesterday they held a board meeting on Saturday where it was decided Henry would be sacked.

However, former co-captain Kevin Proctor and Origin forward Jarrod Wallace were fed to the media yesterday morning to declare the playing group’s ongoing support for Henry, who would be informed just a few hours later that the axe had long fallen.

It’s typical of the circus surrounding the Titans for a week.

While chief executive Graham Annesley yesterday trumpeted the fact that the board had been able to meet in privacy on Saturday, clearly frustrated at the amount of speculation that had gone on for the past week, the Titans brought the issue on themselves by issuing a media release stating a beginning and end point for the saga.

Jarryd Hayne’s comments that he would walk out on the club if Henry no longer wanted him may have brought the decision on the coach’s future to the fore. But they also exposed the Titans’ sloppy dealing with the issue.

By sending out a release nine days ago stating they would hold talks with both Henry and Hayne and comment afterwards, the Titans only created a vacuum that the media filled with relentless commentary and speculation.

By then delaying the decision, it only ensured the circus would stay in town for a week.

The Titans seem surprised at the amount of commentary that has surrounded the decision and the discontent from members, fans and sponsors.

But that shows a worrying amount of naïveté for people so experienced in the worlds of business and administration.

The 24-hour news cycle meant discussion on the issue was never going to cease.

That did not cause Neil Henry’s downfall but it certainly brought a level of angst for Henry, Titans players, fans, sponsors and the board, that need never have happened.

Hard calls must be made at clubs and the Titans believe they’ve made the right one to help the club move forward.

They have done themselves no favours in the court of public opinion by failing to clearly articulate the reasons for Henry’s axing - or the reasons any other coach will be able to take them forward any better.

The board members are genuine in their passion for the Gold Coast though and their desire to see the city have a strong and durable NRL team.

However, sport is a messy business. Look at the past week.