Worry about finals first up

RECRUITMENT will take a back seat to results over the next month as Titans coach Neil Henry drives the Gold Coast towards their first NRL finals campaign in six years.

While there will be announcements in the coming weeks about the future of players off contract at the end of the season, Henry said most recruitment and retention decisions would be made at the end of the season, with the focus on pushing into the top eight.

Henry and chief operating officer Tony Mestrov face some tough decisions though, with the addition of Jarryd Hayne likely to affect their chances of retaining some players that have helped them become finals contenders.

“We need to make some decisions about players that are off contract at the moment and moving forward and guys who we want to keep and upgrade and extend some players too,’’ Henry said.

“There’s a lot to be done but we’re focused on the next four weeks of the competition first and then we’ll wait and see towards the end of the season and make some decisions.’’

David Mead is the highestprofile player off contract at the end of the season and an announcement is expected soon with several other clubs circling and the Titans to make an offer to his management.

But with most of their big names already locked in for 2017, the Titans are likely to wait until the end of the season to deal with contract extensions.

“The majority of our squad are off contract (at the end of) next year and we’ll wait and negotiate at the end of the season,’’ Henry said.

“We’ve got all of October and November 1 before contracts can be tabled by opposition clubs so we don’t feel the need to rush at the moment.

“But there’ll be some talks behind the scenes, talking about what we want to do anyway, so that will be ongoing.’’

Mestrov said during the week the addition of Hayne would not necessarily prevent the Titans from making another significant signing for 2017.

The playing group though is aware Hayne’s arrival is likely to cause some movement, with the chance players contracted until the end of 2017 could be released early to free up space in the salary cap.

Co-captain Nathan Friend, who will retire at the end of the season, said the club had the nucleus of a strong side.

“I think there’s a couple of guys that are off contract and with Hayne’s arrival, I daresay there’s a couple that will depart but if they can keep a fair few of the guys from this year and build upon it, the club looks healthy and in good hands,’’ he said.

Greg Bird said the likelihood of players being moved on after Hayne’s arrival had been “spoken about’’ within the group.

“Players are obviously going to lose their positions because other players are coming in on big money,’’ Bird said.

“But at the end of the day it’s a business, this isn’t the first time a big-name player has been signed to a club and other players have been forced out.”