REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, July 24, 2010

THE Titans were set to offer Greg Inglis a two-year contract worth more than $1 million in a late bid to lure the Storm sensation to the Gold Coast.

While it had been widely reported that Inglis’ defection to Brisbane was a done deal, the explosive Queensland and Test centre was reconsidering his options. The Titans’ base offer, which did not include outside third-party deals, was believed to be about $100,000 a season higher than the Broncos’ $450,000-a-season bid.

“We have the opportunity to put in a competitive offer, one that will certainly make him think,” said Titans boss Michael Searle, who returned to the Gold Coast after a month-long trip overseas.

“We have got a very good offer to put to him. It will go close to matching the money he is currently on. Hopefully it is enough to convince Greg that we are a viable and very real alternative to the Broncos.”

Inglis was rumoured to earn $660,000 a year at the Storm.

Searle said changes to the salary cap in the wake of Melbourne’s rorting scandal had paved the way for the Titans to make a play for Inglis.

Those changes included a $100,000 increase to the salary cap, a doubling of the marquee player allowance from $150,000 to $300,000 and the loosening of some rules surrounding inhouse, third-party deals.

Searle said an official offer would be tabled to Inglis and NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert within days.

“Up until the recent (changes to the) cap rules, we weren’t in the market, but with the amendments it has given us an opportunity to put something together,” said Searle.