Titans’ McQueen seals deal with Tigers for $ 1.2m
THE Titans have been rocked by another player departure, with key backrower Chris McQueen inking a $ 1.2 million deal with the Wests Tigers.
The Bulletin can reveal he will quit the Titans at season’s end after signing a three- year contract with the Tigers worth $ 400,000 a season.
Tigers sources confirmed they had secured the former Queensland Origin forward, whose signing will be announced following the expiry of the NRL’s 10- day coolingoff period.
McQueen, 29, formally advised the Titans about his decision yesterday. His preference was to stay on the Gold Coast, buying a home in the region last month, but the Titans’ re- fusal to budge on a two- year offer worth $ 300,000 annually, forced his hand.
It is another blow for the Titans, who in recent months have lost Nene MacDonald, Josh Hoffman and Brian Kelly.
Rising centre Nathan Davis last week also severed ties by agreeing to a one- year deal with Parramatta.
McQueen was hoping to finish his career on the Gold Coast. He played all 25 games in their charge to the finals last season and relished the responsibility of being promoted to the Titans’ leadership group.
Speaking in the wake of the Titans’ 32- 26 loss to the Cowboys last Saturday night, McQueen had hoped to remain at the Gold Coast but had hinted at a return to Sydney.
“I love the Gold Coast,” he said. “Having said that, I was in Sydney for a long time and loved my time there.”
The Titans do have the chance to outbid the Tigers during the 10- day cooling- off period but that seems unlikely.
“We don’t react to offers made by other clubs,” said Titans boss Graham Annesley.
“You can’t forecast what will happen in these situations but we’ll … put a good offer on the table.”