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In 2011, Graham Annesley was elected the member for Miranda in the NSW Parliament, and was immediately made Minister for Sport and Recreation.
Halfway through his term Annesley resigned his portfolio saying he loved the job, but not the politics.
He left in 2013 to take up the CEO job at the Gold Coast Titans.
Yesterday he was involved in politics again, fronting the media to announce Neil Henry was sacked as Titans coach, effective immediately.
And throughout the grilling, Annesley looked as though he sure wanted to be anywhere else than looking like a stunned mullet.
His giveaway quote was “This decision wasn’t player driven, or Neil would still be coach”.
So it was entirely a Titans Board decision, with Annesley as CEO having to walk the media plank.
The other six directors have been noticeable by their absence.
And that makes Neil Henry’s sacking gutless.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The Board has sided with overpaid contract player Jarryd Hayne, the $1.2 million a season former superstar who has given the club a maximum $120,000 worth of performance.
The fracas all started with Hayne saying he’d leave the club if the coach wanted him to go.
Henry retaliated with “Either Hayne goes, or I go” which turned out to be a suicidal comment.
That was early last week. Since then Annesley spoke to both Hayne and Henry, the Board met on Saturday, Annesley told Henry he was gone, and told the roster yesterday of the decision.
Assistant coaches Terry Matherson and Craig Hodges will take over for the Titans final two games of the season.
To compound the gutless decision, the Board has decided Hayne will be involved with the selection of the new coach.
Unbelievable.
Moving on, two intriguing aspects emerge in the not too distant future.
Will the Titans’ directors surface to name Henry’s replacement?
And what if Jarryd Hayne is still a faded superstar in 2018?