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Gold Coast aim to retain Kevin Proctor on new contract amid Super League interest
Peter Badel, The Courier-Mail
February 7, 2020 5:15pm
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The Gold Coast have opened contract talks with veteran back-rower Kevin Proctor as NRL and Super League rivals circle the New Zealand Test star.
Proctor is off-contract at season’s end and has attracted interest from two English outfits plus a Sydney-based NRL club, putting pressure on the embattled Titans to retain one of the club’s most accomplished campaigners.
But Proctor’s preference is to remain at the Titans and he hopes a fresh round of negotiations involving culture boss Mal Meninga and recruitment chief Ezra Howe will deliver the deal that sees him finish his career on the Coast.
The Titans were rocked by Queensland Origin ironman Jai Arrow’s decision to sign with South Sydney over Christmas, and new coach Justin Holbrook can ill-afford to lose another big-name representative forward.
Proctor turns 31 later this month and has rocketed back into the frame for the Titans captaincy following the heartbreak of a season-ending knee injury to incumbent skipper Ryan James.
Proctor’s management confirmed the offshore poaching raid but said the veteran of 22 Tests for the Kiwis wants to stay loyal and finish his career in the region where he became a schoolboy sensation at Palm Beach Currumbin.
“Kevin is a leader among the group and has informed me he would like to stay with the Gold Coast and help bring success to his hometown,” said Chris Orr of PSM.
“ ‘KP’ is still performing to a high level. He represented the Kiwis last year, so he knows he has to lead by example this season.”
The fuzzy-haired Proctor has played 61 games in three years for the Titans and has largely struggled to exhibit the form that made him a premiership-winning forward weapon in nine fine seasons at Melbourne.
But with 240 NRL games under his belt, Proctor brings experience and defensive toughness to a Titans side that has leaked a whopping 1233 points in the past two seasons.
One of the Titans’ highest-paid players, Proctor faces a pay cut to remain at the Coast in his twilight years, but is prepared to take a financial hit to help rookie coach Holbrook offload the wooden spoon.
“I feel really refreshed under Justin and his coaching team and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead,” he said.
“It’s been a tough few years but there are some really good signs among the team. We are training harder and our training efforts are much higher, which makes me confident.
“I am keen to stay and help the club become a competitive force within the NRL, so hopefully my agent and the Titans can work something out.”
