Titans performance and culture boss Mal Meninga discusses Leilani Latu exit & Jai Arrow’s future
http://www.gcbulletin.com.au

TITANS culture and performance boss Mal Meninga insists the club is in no hurry to find a replacement for big-money flop Leilani Latu following his immediate release yesterday to join English Super League side Warrington.

Signed from Penrith in 2018 on a three-year deal worth $450,000 annually, the 26-year-old prop played just nine NRL games in two seasons for the Gold Coast, spending most of his time with Tweed in the Intrust Super Cup.

With salary cap space tight this season, the Titans were desperate to offload Latu - a popular figure within the playing group - and will now begin the search for the final three players to fill their 30-man roster.

TITANS RELEASE LATU FROM FINAL YEAR OF CONTRACT

While the club must have 29 players locked in by March 1 and their full squad finalised by the end of June, Meninga said they were happy to bide their time.

“We won’t be actively looking (for Latu’s replacement). What we’re doing is being patient,” Meninga said.

“It frees up a bit more cash for us but we’ll be very patient. We’ve got to have 29 spots covered by early March and 30 by the end of June so we’ve got a bit of time up our sleeve.

“We’re not going to rush things. It gives us a bit more freedom but we’ll wait and see.”

WHERE THE TITANS’ ARROW CASH SHOULD BE SPENT

While the Titans were more than happy to entertain a release for Latu, they continue to play hard-ball with South Sydney over the Jai Arrow situation.

The Rabbitohs are eager to bring the Queensland forward to Redfern this year but Gold Coast remain unwilling to release him from the final year of his contract unless a suitable player swap can be agreed.

Meninga said the club was well served in the forwards and denied Latu’s departure would have any bearing on Arrow’s future.

“We’ve got plenty of middle forwards. That’s probably the one area we’re over-stocked,” he said.

NEW COACH READY TO SOAR WITH EAGLES IN 2020

“Jai is at the club for this year, I think we’ve made that pretty clear. Jai is staying and we’re very keen to keep him.”

The Titans’ roster expanded to 28 players earlier this month with the signing of Kiwi pair Greg Leleisiuao and Erin Clark, with Latu’s exit leaving them three short of a complete squad.