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day for Jarrod Wallace to make a call on whether the Maroons prop sticks with the Titans

MAROONS prop Jarrod Wallace could walk out on the Titans after Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan demanded an answer today on a $2.5 million contract offer.

The Bulletin can reveal Wallace has been told to inform the Titans today whether he intends to take up a four-year extension to stay at the NRL club until 2022.

If Wallace declines the offer, he has a one-year option in his favour to remain at the Titans in 2019. He is also free to leave the club at season’s end.

The Titans and Wallace have been at loggerheads for weeks, prompting the Queensland forward to meet the Newcastle Knights last week as he assessed his options.

Brennan confirmed the Titans had imposed a deadline on the deal.

“Jarrod is a good guy and I’d really like him to stay,” he said.

“He has got some other things going on in his life outside of footy and on compassionate grounds we gave him a couple of extensions.

‘‘We’ve had a few deadlines with Jarrod.

“We have to make decisions as a club and it’s been agreed upon by his management he will have an answer for us (today).

“We have granted Jarrod three extensions but we’ve come to an agreement that at some time (today) there will be an answer on whether he accepts the extension or will wait until June 30 to make a decision on next year.”

If Wallace declines the offer, Brennan said that did not mean the Titans had closed the door on the 26-year-old remaining at the Gold Coast long-term.

But, Wallace is unlikely to receive such a lucrative deal which would see him pocket more than $700,000 in 2022.

“We can always go back and negotiate but the offer we have on the table at the moment will expire (today),” he said.

“That’s not to say we won’t make another offer, but if we go and spend that money (on other players) then it won’t be there. We can’t guarantee Jarrod the offer will be there.

“If he turns it down, that’s not to say Jarrod is done and dusted at the Titans. He’s still got an option to play next year on the (current contract).’’

Brennan shot down speculation the Titans withdrew their offer to Wallace last week. “The deal has never been pulled,” he said.