Taylor’s crunch month to save Titans career

TITANS five-eighth Ash Taylor is facing a crucial month in his fight for a new contract on the Gold Coast.

The Titans are yet to make a decision on whether to offer Taylor a new deal and will monitor his performances over the next four-six weeks.

In the final season of his $3m contract, Taylor is hoping to secure an extension on the Gold Coast after resurrecting his career under coach Justin Holbrook.

Taylor returned early from a broken hand to help the Titans

record a 42-16 thrashing of Newcastle last weekend.

He will face off against Manly star and the NRL’s iceman Daly Cherry-Evans in Mudgee on Saturday as he looks to build on his quest to be re-signed.

Taylor said he was not focused on securing a new contract and hoped his performances would be enough to clinch a deal.

“I don’t really think about that,” Taylor said. “I just do whatever it takes for the team to win games, even if that means me running around out there behind a decoy all night.

“I’m here to try to get a new deal but that’s not on my mind. I’m just focused on my footy for now.”

The Titans are yet to enter serious discussions with Taylor over his future as the club weighs up its options for 2022.

Gold Coast has made a play for Broncos ballrunner Kotoni Staggs, who is eyeing a potential move to five-eighth when he returns from a knee reconstruction later this season.

Staggs is yet to decide on his future and Taylor said he had not spoken to Holbrook.

“No not really, he is only worried about now,” Taylor said. “We want to be a top eight team, you can’t focus on deals and that for now.

“That’s why I’ve got a manager, leave it up to the manager. It’s got a little bit to do with Justin but not a whole lot, it’s just up to the club.

“I’m sweet where I am and I’m happy playing footy for now and when that ship comes around it will come around.”

Taylor, 26, underwent wrist and hip surgeries in the offseason after playing through painful injuries in 2020.

He then fractured his hand in the Round 2 win against Brisbane, his 100th NRL game for the Titans, but only missed two matches.

Sporting a decent scar from surgery, Taylor said he was desperate to get back on the field.

“I was just sick of not playing and watching the boys play, it was a case of ‘how do you feel and can you handle the contact?’. It’s just the scar tissue, obviously being back a week early doesn’t help.

It took a couple of bumps and a bit of grief but nothing to stop me from playing footy. I just got a plate and seven screws in there. They do that to try and fasten the recovery.”