Titans best game in town for a Don deal
THE Titans’ biggest cut-price signing in history is set to open talks over a new deal.
Cult hero winger Anthony Don may have been able to earn more if he had tested himself on the open market.
Yet the 30-year-old’s instructions to his manager will be the same as they were three years ago: keep me on the Gold Coast.
Don had a breakout season last year which earnt him the Paul Broughton Medal as the Titans’ best and fairest.
And he sees no reason to leave the club that gave him his chance as a 25-year-old.
Don’s last contract was understood to be worth about $180,000 a year, making him one of the cheapest starting wingers in the competition.
And wants to extend his time with a club he sees moving towards an exciting new chapter.
“I’m obviously off contract. I haven’t had many negotiations, so I was just going to wait until it happened (but) we’ll probably look to start,” Don said.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be there or not but we’ll probably find out in the next month or so.
“I love the Titans and I love the Gold Coast, so if it happens, that’d be great.
“But we’re in an industry where you can get moved on pretty quickly, so you’ve got to be open to the idea of moving.
“If I’m playing good footy and doing my best on the field, that will take care of itself.
“But my focus is on playing good week to week.”
Picked up from the Grafton Ghosts by Burleigh, Don has made the most of every chance he has been given after being a late bloomer.
And he shows the value of looking outside the box in a sport where talented players are identified younger and younger.
He wants to repay the Titans for the faith they have shown in him and as one of the most reliable players over the past two years and a fan favourite, his extension should be a no-brainer.
“My negotiations have been fairly different,” Don said of a process that can be cutthroat.
“I’ve always preferred to stay on the Gold Coast, so I’ve always just gone to the club and seen where they were at and get something done pretty quickly.
“I haven’t really talked to any other clubs in my career.”
The grandson of Canterbury and Manly great Ron Willey takes nothing for granted and concedes he would be playing the game for free if he had not broken into the top ranks.
“Almost every day I think how lucky I am just to be playing a sport (professionally) I would be playing for nothing anyway,” he said.