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Titans allowing a player vs coach feud to tear the club apart

Published by
Dan Nichols

Another day, another saga on the Gold Coast at the Titans.

An internal feud between coach Neil Henry and marquee signing Jarryd Hayne is threatening to tear the club apart, with reports that Henry is set to pay the price.

As usual, when it comes down to a player vs coach situation, the club will reportedly side with the marquee player who puts bums on seats and sells jerseys, despite the fact the Titans were absolutely flying prior to Hayne's million-dollar signing.

Let me put it straight out there, I am not placing the blame of the Titan's woes purely on Hayne, but you're absolutely kidding yourself if you don't believe his presence is a contributing factor to the club's down fall.

With the NRL wanting to sell the club, and with 2017 dead and buried in terms of playing finals footy, the Titans need to act quickly before 2018 and beyond are affected.

The simple solution? Sack the coach.

But will it help the club in the long run? Why don't we ask fans of the Tigers who celebratedĀ putting two competition points between them and the last placed Knights like it were a Grand Final win?

Or the fans who saw Hayne out rank numerous coaches during his time at the Eels. I'm sure they won't be too busy rewatching highlights of their finals appearances since their grand final loss to the Storm in 2009.

If there's one thing that clubs thrive on, it's uncertainty within management and players over ruling those employed to direct them. Oh wait, that's the exact opposite of what clubs thrive on?

Straight up, if the Titans are going to relief Neil Henry of his duties, Hayne needs to be sent packing with him, or a horrible message will be sent to the players.

Don't like a coach? Play badly and make comments in the media, you might even get a say in who the next appointed coach may be.

Training too tough? Make cryptic comments on social media, might get a week off.

The situation on the holiday strip has become laughable. How team management can allow a situation to reach the very public finale it has, is beyond me. It should be beyond any NRL fan.

The Titans were absolutely flying last season in the run in to the finals. Hayne's arrival should have meant the difference between final's fodder and the Titans becoming a genuine title threat.

No one will ever forget Hayne's yelling "this is my house" after kicking a game winning field goal against the Tigers. It was the real life playing out of a comeback script. The first stanza in what should have been the re crowning of Hayne as one of the game's best player.

Instead, just 12 months later Hayne looks like he has no other option than grit his teeth and fulfil his contract at a club he's obviously not thriving at.

Why do you ask?

Hint: it's nothing to do with his footballing ability. This is a guy, who although has been well below his incredible form of the past, is still a genuine superstar of a game. His efforts in Origin One won't be forgotten anytime soon. He carved up on the biggest stage in the game.

Clubs should be lining up to steal him away from the Titans. He would walk into more than half of the NRL sides without any sort of thought. His commercial appeal alone is worth serious money.

Maybe it would be worth the Titans telling the players to like it or lump it and focus on playing good footy? Ash Taylor aside, I can't see clubs fighting each other to sign the discards.

Short term pain could lead to the introduction of a culture that could deliver sustained success.

Instead, it looks as though Henry will be walked, and a new coach employed knowing very well that he will most likely walk straight into a toxic environment controlled by player power.

Sounds appealing.

Titans fans, probably don't book tickets to next year's Grand Final either, it's a long way back from here.

Ask Tigers fans.

Published by
Dan Nichols