Where there is smoke, there is usually fire.
Only 12 months ago, all and sundry would have told you that the Gold Coast Titans were the gold standard of how an NRL team should be set up and run.
A brand new stadium was in place. The local community was behind the team. The club was competitive on the field. They were building a new complex which would house their football operations, training facilities and would even allow them to rent out space as an extra form of income.
They had a good coach. They had a CEO who was the golden boy of the NRL, who had been involved in helping set up an independent commission, and hey, some people were even suggesting he should be the next head of the NRL. It was all going very, very, well.
Now, there are some very serious allegations being thrown the Titans way.
I’m willing to give the Titans the benefit of the doubt to a point. From the outside, it all still looks good. However, I’m starting to find the weight of allegations is starting to crush my good will like Keiron Cunningham would crush a…well…anything.
Cash flow problems meant the Titans had to go to the NRL and ask for advance payments so they could pay the bills. Then there was the falling out with a builder that was building their new center of excellence.
From there, allegations of salary cap rorts which the NRL investigated, and found nothing out of the ordinary (As they did with the Melbourne Storm until earlier this year).
Now, news that the Queensland Government is taking the Titans to court for around a quarter of a million dollars worth of unpaid taxes.
With all of this going on, all of it surrounding one club, at the very least it is not a good look for the National Rugby League.
Surely the time has come for the NRL to meet with the Titans and look at all of their books. Take a look at how the club is run, do a review.
On top of that, you have to wonder how many more alleged issues can come up before the Titans board would ask Michael Searle to stand aside, if only temporarily, just until certain issues are looked into.
The Titans a very important club to the NRL. They need to be strong for the good of the game in Queensland.
The NRL can not sit back and just hope everything turns out ok. They need to do something, and soon!
