Penrith recruit Jamal Idris says there were no issues between him and the Gold Coast despite his shock release from the NRL club.
Idris was granted an immediate release from the final three years of his Titans contract last week to join the Panthers on a three-year deal.
At his first training session with his new club on Monday, Idris said he remained firm friends with Titans coach John Cartwright and said he was grateful to the former premiership-winning Panthers second-rower for granting a release on compassionate grounds so Idris could be closer to his ill mother.
Rumours swirled around the Gold Coast following Idris’ release that he’d had a falling out with coaching staff and had not received third-party payments he was owed.
But the 23-year-old said that was not the case.
“Carty is one of my best mates – I love him to death,” Idris said.
“The boys were awesome, but at the end of the day, I was up there by myself. If you are by yourself anywhere you are going to be stressed … I’m just glad I’m back down with my mum.
“Carty is a mate before he is a coach. He understood what I was going through. And he understands that I’m big on family. He was quite happy for me to look after my mum and go back down to Sydney.”
Idris played 35 games in his two seasons at the Titans and struggled to consistently hit the form that earned him NSW and Australian jerseys at Canterbury.
Injuries, including a severe hamstring tear, and double hip surgery dogged him and just when he had begun to return to his devastating best last year, he broke his leg.
Idris had off-season surgery on his knee, but will be fit for Penrith’s round-one match at home against Newcastle on March 8.
Idris said the Panthers, who have also recruited Jamie Soward, Peter Wallace, Brent Kite, Elijah Taylor and Tyrone Peachey, are capable of making an impact in the NRL in 2014.
“The club has got a lot of good things going for it and hopefully I can be a part of it,” he said.
“Hopefully I can grow and the club can grow as well … finals are what we are hoping for.”
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
all good points Dave. Cartwright should have been sacked last year. Titans haven't made the finals in 3 seasons. The defence got them into the top 4 two years in a row is long gone. But Searle in one of his last acts signed Carty to that ridiculous 5 year contract. Silly stuff. His attack is also poor, Idris was fat and injury prone, so good riddance. The team constantly make the same poor Under 7s style mistakes of the last couple of years, so I would think they need a tough taskmaster to get the players into shape and the mind on the job. Getting the most out of Dave Taylor is priority one.
Dave
Guest
No problems at the Titans, easy to say when you walk out of a club. There are many problems at the Titans. Albert Kelly in doubt for the start of the season, no centres (again), and the club is starting to rot from the head. Searl is still there running the show, Annersley his mate was onboard to move the show forward, great work, letting a marketing and Physical giant walk. Cartwright is stale at the club, and it will be a miracle if they make the eight now, They have a great forward pack who are close to the best in the competition, and the 1,2 and 5 are some of the best in their respective positions. It's no good having an exciting back three if they have noone in the backs to give them room to move. Carty has been good for the club, but has run out of ideas ion how to win consistently without decent inside backs. I shudder to think what will happen at state of origin time, when they will be short their best two forwards. The answer is not to play gordon in the centres or Ash harrison at five eight, or move Henry to the 6. The answer is to balance the Salary cap, get strike players in the backline and some depth wouldn't hurt either. One for thought. Cartwright will be gone if they don't make the eight this year, unless Searle has one of his fits of RL stupidity. He is a Penrith favourite son....maybe he is sending Jamal there as a peace offering to muscle in on an assistant coach job under a real coach.