HOW PLAYER REVOLT THREW CLUB INTO CRISIS
TITANS boss Graham Annesley last night rejected claims a decision had been made to axe coach Neil Henry.
“The board are going to reconvene within the next week to make a decision,” Annesley said last night when asked about reports Henry was about to be sacked.
“What’s the point in the board reconvening if they’ve already made a decision?”
The Titans adjourned a marathon board meeting late yesterday afternoon after deciding they needed more information to solve a “really, really complex issue”.
Club officials conducted separate discussions with Henry and star player Jarryd Hayne at the club’s Parkwood headquarters after their relationship disintegrated spectacularly over the weekend.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE’S LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS HERE AND THE BOARD’S NOT GOING TO BE RUSHED GRAHAM ANNESLEY
The mood between player and coach has bubbled away all year as a manageable problem, but became untenable when Hayne said he would walk from the club if unwanted by Henry.
Henry also reportedly issued club officials an ultimatum that he would leave if Hayne stayed.
The pair was called in for separate talks with Annesley and chair Rebecca Frizelle yesterday in what initially seemed to be a situation that would be mediated.
They were joined about 2pm by board members Darryl Kelly and Trish Hogan.
Annesley and Frizelle fronted the media about 5.15pm to say the board needed more information before it could make a decision.
“This is a really, really complex issue and not an easy one to resolve,” Annesley said.
“It’s broader than what it might just appear on the surface in relation to Jarryd and Neil and the board’s got to take the full amount of consideration in relation to what might happen going forward.
“We are talking about people’s lives and livlihoods here and the board’s not going to be rushed into making a decision.”
Frizelle said the Titans had shown in the past they were not afraid to make the tough calls.
But she said time was needed to ensure the right decision was made.
“I would like to reassure all our sponsors, fans and members that given this extra time, we will make the right decision but we do need the time to do that,” she said.
“But we will make the right decision on behalf of the club and in the best interests of the club because the club is bigger than any one individual.”