MAL’S VIEW TO FUTURE
Titans will wait until new owners are in place before deciding on a replacement for outgoing COO Tony Mestrov, leading to speculation Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga could link with the club in an oversight role.
Mestrov will leave the Gold Coast late next week to take up a role as chief executive at Greyhound Racing NSW.
But Titans boss Graham Annesley said with an ownership change imminent, he would wait to consult the club’s new owners before deciding on the structure of the role.
Mestrov and his predecessor Brian Canavan have handled both football and commercial operations.
But if the Titans opted for a new structure, it could open the way for a coaching director to be appointed, with Meninga’s name being thrown about after the Kangaroos coach revealed he would review his position with the national team following the World Cup.
Meninga has relished the responsibility of cultivating the Kangaroos brand and building the credibility of the international game, but said he will decide his Test future after the World Cup.
“I don’t know if I will go on (next year), I will see what happens,” Meninga said.
“It just depends on what happens in life. I have to see what happens through this World Cup and what pans out.
“I have another two years after this, I have a four-year contract, but that doesn’t mean to say ... I guess you never say never.”
Meninga recently expressed his disappointment at not being contacted by the Titans while the club was hunting for a head coach.
At the time, Annesley dismissed speculation Meninga would hold any role with the club if he was not interested in a full-time head coaching role.
It would be a major surprise if Meninga severed his Kangaroos ties midway through his first term as Australia coach. And even if he did, it would not necessarily indicate a link with the Titans.
“The first thing for us to do is to get the ownership of the club resolved and once we do that, I’ll be able to talk about structures and personnel,” Annesley said.
“But hopefully we’re so close to the outcome that I’ll defer until after that.”
The Titans appointed Garth Brennan as head coach last week and are in no rush to replace Mestrov before the ownership change is finalised.
“We’re in no dire need to make a quick decision and when I do make a decision it needs to be the right one,” Annesley said.