Titans Sign Dave Taylor

[TITAN PETE]

The Daily Telegraph | 12:01am February 17, 2012


Rampaging forward Dave Taylor is being headhunted by the Gold Coast Titans, the Daily Telegraph reports.

THE glamour of Hollywood versus the glitz of Surfers Paradise.

Russell Crowe's South Sydney is preparing for a $2.5 million battle with Gold Coast to retain rampaging forward Dave Taylor.

The off-contract Taylor, nicknamed the Coal Train, will sit down next week to start discussions on where he will play his football next season.

Determined to re-establish themselves as a premiership threat, the Titans are poised to make a massive bid for the Queensland State of Origin star.

Souths may have to shed a key player to retain Taylor.

Taylor's manager, Col Davis, was not commenting yesterday on his client's future but it is known that at least five NRL clubs have shown an interest.

Friends of Taylor claim he loves Souths but may elect to return home to Queensland. The Cowboys and Broncos would accommodate Taylor but Gold Coast will be the club to really throw some big bucks at the back-rower.

Souths chief executive Shane Richardson was hopeful yesterday Taylor would stay.

"We have been speaking to them for a few weeks. Dave likes it at Souths and he likes 'Madge' (coach Michael Maguire)," Richardson said. "We are reasonably confident of keeping him but you never know until you get the signature.

"Hopefully we can sort something out over the next couple of weeks."

He would not comment but Richardson was well aware of the offer tabled by Gold Coast.

Taylor, who will come off the bench in tomorrow night's Charity Shield match against St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium, has not yet discussed the terms of a new deal but it is likely to span three, probably four, years.

He could earn about $600,000 a season.

One close friend said: "He is a Queenslander so it's a reasonable chance he will return home."

Taylor wanted to rip through the off-season and pre-season before seriously debating his future.

He will travel back to Brisbane next week to meet Davis.

There was speculation the Sydney Roosters wanted Taylor but club recruitment officer Peter O'Sullivan denied this.

"We couldn't fit him in," O'Sullivan said.

Richardson will meet Taylor and his family next week.

[Princey's Titanz]

This is out of control. We already have a good forward pack.

[TITAN PETE]

This is the last thing as a Titans fan i want to hear about at this time of year , 2 weeks from kick off & there's talk of paying drug money for another back rower when we are trying to crawl out of the cellar & be a force in 2012 ...

Souths can keep him

[Princey's Titanz]

This is the last thing as a Titans fan i want to hear about at this time of year , 2 weeks from kick off & there's talk of paying drug money for another back rower when we are trying to crawl out of the cellar & be a force in 2012 ...

Souths can keep him

I read a comment on the Gold Coast Bulletin abt Dave Taylor fitting under the Titans salary cap which said...

'Simple my friend. Bird to Newcastle. Minnie to the Roosters. Bull to retire and a half a dozen fringe players. Oh and you might want to throw in Carty if the titans are not in a healthy position leading to the halfway mark of the season. Enter Rick Stone.'

This guy could be right.

[DavidBouveng]

I read a comment on the Gold Coast Bulletin abt Dave Taylor fitting under the Titans salary cap which said...

'Simple my friend. Bird to Newcastle. Minnie to the Roosters. Bull to retire and a half a dozen fringe players. Oh and you might want to throw in Carty if the titans are not in a healthy position leading to the halfway mark of the season. Enter Rick Stone.'

This guy could be right.

i was thinking yeah yeah thats all obvious until i got to the bold.

i love Carty(maybe not how he utilizes his backs sometimes) but this would seem such a logical replacement im shocked we hadnt heard much of it before.

[teke]

Taylor as a prop or backrower is not worth anywhere near what he is asking.

Halve his asking price and Im still not convinced he is worth that.

[Titan Dad]

Taylor as a prop or backrower is not worth anywhere near what he is asking.

Halve his asking price and Im still not convinced he is worth that.

+1 Teke, We currently have forwards pouring out our A"S". And all these forwards are top quality forwards. We have a number of young forwards that have been in our ranks being developed for a number of years. Time now to work with the great talent we have and forget all the hype surrounding the "coal train".

[DIEHARD]

I'm excited by the idea. And he is a Queenslander. I can see where he'd fit in long term. But there would be horse trading to see it happen. And as Pete says, bad timing to see a story such as this go around.

[Chaos]

As big as he is...he'd be the best ball player in the team (besides Prince)
In our current team he'd fit into 5/8?

Long term would see some back rowers go...and it would be exciting to get Queensland origin player.

[Nick]

... the next carl webb?

[Chaos]

... the next carl webb?

In what way?

[Nick]

A tonne of potential, but has never really set the world on fire.. He is still only 23 and has plenty of time ahead of him, but I dont want to see the club spend massive amounts of money on a prop that plays on the edges.
I do rate him more than webb, but he really hasnt reached his potential.

[Supergoose]

You guys haven't watched Taylor enough if you think that. He is a match winner, in that he can carry a team on his back and win you a game. Sure he lacks a little consistency but there aren't many 23 year olds that don't. A pack with Douglas, James, Myles and Taylor has some ring to it. If we managed to hold onto Bird and Harrison as well and with Thompson also on the up we'd be laughing. I'm presuming Bailey will retire, bonus if he doesn't but Mini will go as his minutes diminish with us. We've got to keep moving forward and planning to replace the players that won't be here. We can either have Dave Taylor wreaking havoc for us or against us, one thing is certain - he will be wreaking havoc for another 4 or 5 years. Imagine the right side defences trying to handle both Taylor and Idris - Gordon will score 30 tries a season.

[Titanic]

I don't get the love affair with Harrison. He is a wonderful player who tackles his heart out but he is at the end of his career and hardly a match winner. Bailey is also at that stage and Taylor is as Goose says the type of player who can turn a game ... he could be a good foil for toilers like Thompson and Ridge.

[teke]

You guys haven't watched Taylor enough if you think that. He is a match winner, in that he can carry a team on his back and win you a game. Sure he lacks a little consistency but there aren't many 23 year olds that don't. A pack with Douglas, James, Myles and Taylor has some ring to it. If we managed to hold onto Bird and Harrison as well and with Thompson also on the up we'd be laughing. I'm presuming Bailey will retire, bonus if he doesn't but Mini will go as his minutes diminish with us. We've got to keep moving forward and planning to replace the players that won't be here. We can either have Dave Taylor wreaking havoc for us or against us, one thing is certain - he will be wreaking havoc for another 4 or 5 years. Imagine the right side defences trying to handle both Taylor and Idris - Gordon will score 30 tries a season.

You see Idris/Gordon scoring 30 tries a season with Dave Taylor in the side? I see little to no money left to pay Kev what he is worth.

My problem isnt with Dave coming back here, it's what he is asking...ridiculous from a player who cant play 80mins