The Gold Coast’s NRL future is once again up in the air after the latest off-field scandal to rock the embattled club.
Still without a major sponsor just weeks from the start of the new season, the Titans are now also without a home after two players were arrested and charged with supplying cocaine.
Hooker Beau Falloon, the club’s NRL player of the year, and utility back Jamie Dowling have both been stood down by the club after the pair were both charged following an operation by Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission.
The pair, along with rugby union star Karmichael Hunt and an unnamed woman, were all given notices to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on March 5 on Thursday.
Titans chief executive Graham Annesley could not confirm whether any more of the club’s players were caught up in the scandal.
He did however confirm the club had made the decision to move out of their training base at the Southport School on the Gold Coast following the revelations.
He said no new training base had been decided upon but the decision had to be made.
“The board and management of the club acknowledges that under these circumstances it is not appropriate for the team’s training facilities to be based in an education facility among impressionable young people,” Annesley said.
“As such we will make immediate plans to relocate to an alternate venue.
“We unreservedly apologise to the school, our members, sponsors, corporate partners, and other stakeholders who have been let down or impacted by these unexpected and unacceptable developments.”
Falloon and Dowling’s dramas come after a summer where the club has already been forced to sack young utility Paul Carter after he was charged with a second drink driving offence in six months.
NSW and Australia representative Greg Bird has also been in trouble, fined and stripped of the club’s co-captaincy after being caught urinating in public following his wedding celebrations in Byron Bay.
Youngster James Roberts was also fined after he was arrested following a boozy night out although the charges against him were later dropped.
Annesley admitted his frustration following Friday’s revelations, saying it was like he was banging his head against a brick wall.
“I feel sorry for people in this club who keep getting battered around by these incidents,” he told reporters.
“You can understand the fans, they must be shell shocked by these things that keep happening.
“I’m sure there are better days ahead. This is a black day for the club.”
Jay C
Roar Guru
I think Uncle Wayne might have dibs Muzz
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Not so much that I rate him highly as I don't rate Falloon, with that said there are 3 reasons I think Moseley has the ability to do well. 1. When he did play in first grade, he was slotting in for Segeyaro (probably the top rake in the NRL last year) and there was no major drop off in performance for Penrith. 2. He has performed very well in the lower grades -- NYC winning team, NSW cup winning team, not bad for 20 years old. 3. Just watching him play a few times, he's quick, he defends well, and he provides a good pass from dummy half.
karlos
Guest
the NRL will get rid of them. And so they should. Meanwhile they will continue doing illicit drugs in AFL without being sacked, named or charged. Funny old world.
AR
Guest
More random questions in response... Ok. Tell you what, how bout this: The Titans have never fudged a crowd. Conversely, the Suns, Giants, and every other AFL club regularly fudge crowds. Feel better?
Meesta Cool
Guest
Tonights news has linked Bird to the mess... your friend either has inside info or should go into predicting disasters Jay C...
jamesb
Guest
People are getting their knickers in a knot with the term " out of town teams". Never mind a Roarer such as myself was lazy enough to find or differentiate a term to describe teams that are not from Sydney.
Meesta Cool
Guest
If tonights TV news is correct Bird and Taylor will be off the scene for sometime as well!.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Fair enough. I just don't know the basis on which you're rating Moseley so highly. He's still probably only going to be the back up 9.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I would argue Falloon got that award because nobody else could even stay on the park.
Muzz
Guest
Jay - Could you please ask Ryan to call Uncle Nick ASAP. Cheers.
Muzz
Guest
Srama would be kicking himself for not taking the opportunity to play for the Roosters. Gift horse.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
AR, did that google but nothing came up. Perhaps you can provide the QLD stadium authority accusations? Or was this another baseless attack by newsltd who can get away with plain out lies? Again you avoid how the Suns can have management rights yet not count crowds? You should replay a few suns games where it is on record AFL commentators question Suns crowds. Your passion that the AFL is above misleading the public is admirable. I hear the Western Bulldogs have a unique new way to boost memberships. Don't believe everything the AFL feeds you.
yewonk
Guest
Lol I dont like your chances.
AR
Guest
Cathar, you've responded to a simple question with a pop gun attack of random accusaons against the Suns or the AFL. So I'll try to respond with a few facts... A couple of seasons ago, Stadiums Queensland launched an investigation into fudged Titans crowds. You can probably Google it. Dodgy scanners were initially blamed and it was then revealed that the Titans were counting all the free tickets they had given away, rather than the people that had actually turned up. Around the same time the Rabbitohs also admitted that they counted ticket marshals, players, refs, club officials and food vendors in their official attendance figures. I believe Richardson soon stopped that practice. The Raiders also inflated numbers according to the previous ACT Sports Minister. Now, there's no big crime to any of this, I'm just pointing out what is on the public record. Again, the strength of your argument seems to be "yeah well they must be doing it too..!"
Jay C
Roar Guru
So long as Ryan James and Luke Douglas remain trouble free my fantasy team is unscathed
jamesb
Guest
So now we have Beau Fallon Jamie Dowling Joe Vickery (who) Kalifa Faifai Loa Greg Bird Dave Taylor ....Karmichael Hunt
The Barry
Roar Guru
Poor old Greg. All those nasty Queenslanders leading him astray.
up in the north
Guest
I read the other day where Dave Taylor says he was drinking way too many energy drinks and was keeping more of an eye on his diet, didn't realise he meant he was substituting columbian marching powder for red bull.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Could be a tit.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
It's well known that Bird is a turkey, and domesticated turkeys can't fly. Though I suppose with his exploits there's a question as to if he's a domesticated turkey or a wild turkey.