Leilua not in Titans’ backline blueprint
JOEY Leilua will not be at the Titans next season, with the Gold Coast confirming the Raiders centre is “not part of our plans”.
Reports emerged last week linking the 25-year-old with the Titans but chief executive Graham Annesley quashed the rumours, saying the club had made no offer to Leilua or his manager.
“We have discussions with agents about a whole range of players, like every club does,” Annesley said.
“But we never made an offer for that player and he’s not part of our plans. Player agents throw up all sorts of names.
“But throwing them up and entering into negotiations for their services are two completely different things.”
With the Raiders facing salary cap pressure, Leilua has been shopped to rival clubs but it’s understood Canberra has been unwilling to contribute significantly to his salary, leaving the Titans unwilling to make an offer.
Gold Coast, who are under the cap for next year, are looking for a centre and backrower to finalise their list.
With a cloud still hanging over the future of Jarryd Hayne, rumours Leilua could join the Titans gathered steam.
But Annesley said the Gold Coast’s star fullback was still expected to report for pre-season training after the World Cup.
“We’ve got nothing new on Jarryd. He’s a contracted player and he’s on World cup duties, so we’re expecting him back at the end of the World Cup,” Annesley said.
While the Titans may be on the lookout for a strike centre, Dale Copley is keen to step up and claim his place alongside Konrad Hurrell next season after his first uninterrupted pre-season in three years.
“It has been pretty disrupted the last few years, so I’m looking forward to being able to build camaraderie through the pre-season and then taking that into the season, it’s something I haven’t been able to do the last couple of years,” said Copley, who moved from Brisbane to the Sydney Roosters and then the Gold Coast in the past two seasons.
“It hasn’t just been moving clubs, it’s been moving cities as well which is very disruptive.
“Just to be able to build those combinations over the pre-season is something I haven’t been able to do. I came in late last year and was trying to learn on the run which is not ideal when you’re playing against guys who have been training together for months.”
Copley said talk Leilua could link with the club had not concerned him.