Peats stands up for Henry
HOOKER Nathan Peats says he loves embattled coach Neil Henry, and has told Titans bosses that sacking him now would be extremely unfair.
Despite claims Henry has lost the dressingroom following an ugly fallout with Jarryd Hayne, Peats insists the coach retains overwhelming support from senior players.
The hooker also rubbished suggestions young halves Ashley Taylor and Kane Elgey were set to walk out on the franchise unless Henry was sacked.
“Ash is a good young kid. And Elgey is probably one of the quietest kids I’ve ever met,” Peats said.
“So for them to come out and say they’re not going to sign unless the coach (leaves), it’s rubbish.
“Sometimes I should keep my mouth shut but I’m sick of it. I feel for the coach.”
Despite suggestions the players were backing Hayne over Henry, Peats stressed he and other senior players wanted the coach retained.
Quizzed on whispers that he led a group which fronted CEO Graham Annesley and said as much, Peats said: “Everyone has reinforced their support for Neil. It’s not his fault we’re playing the way we are.”
So sacking him would be an unfair decision?
“It would mate, definitely,’’ Peats continued.
“We all respect Neil as a coach. Our leadership group love him. “The squad loves him. “There might be two or three blokes who aren’t happy with their contract situations, or where they’re going next year. But that happens in every squad.
“I guarantee if you sit down with the playing groups of all 16 clubs and ask if they like their coach, there will be one or two guys who don’t. But that’s footy.
“Neil’s not on the field missing tackles and giving away fifth-tackle penalties.
“He’s up in the box giving us our game plan. We’re not executing ... and he’s not to blame for that.”
Peats was more coy, however, when discussing the relationship between Henry and Hayne, the $1.2 million fullback who is understood to no longer on speaking terms with the man setting the game plans.
“I’m not going to go into it too much,’’ he said.
“It’s between them and the club. The boys get along really well up there and we know what we’re capable of as a squad.” GOLD Coast captain Ryan James has revealed the Titans playing group has held an internal discussion about coach Neil Henry and stand united behind their besieged mentor.
Speculation has grown over the past week of a player revolt within the Titans but James said nothing could be further from the truth.
An angry James launched a passionate defence of his coach in the post-match media conference following the Coast’s loss to Parramatta on Thursday night, declaring the players stood behind Henry.
And he was just as adamant when the Titans returned to the Gold Coast yesterday, saying they stood behind Henry “100 per cent”.
“We’ve talked as a group,” James said.
“A couple of us leaders got together and we said we stand behind him.”
James hoped the Eels match would not be Henry’s last in charge of the club.
“I don’t think it will (be),” he said.
“We haven’t been informed otherwise.”
The Titans players have come in for their share of criticism during the week for the perception that they were attempting to orchestrate the removal of the coach. James admitted the rumours had been disappointing.
“There’s always going to be people that think that they know what’s happening,” he said.
“The majority of the group would (think that).
“There’s always going to be players at the club that probably disagree with something but still like to buy into the culture and I think that’s what we’ve got, everyone has bought in.”
James said it had been a tough week for the players as they attempted to prepare for the Eels clash, a match that resulted in a 30-8 loss.
“It was a short turnaround and with all of the stuff that’s happened, it was great to get down there and have no media in your face for one full day,” he said.
“But we’re back on the Gold Coast now, so we have to put up with it.”