The Gold Coast expect Tyrone Peachey to honour his contract with the NRL club and won’t release the Penrith star after he admitted he was still considering backflipping on the deal.
Peachey signed a three-year deal with the Titans in March, but the NSW State of Origin utility now reconsidering the move for personal reasons.
He told AAP on Wednesday he would wait until the end of the season before making a decision on his future, but outgoing Titans boss Graham Annesley hit back saying there was no decision to be made.
“The situation is that he’s got a legally binding contract with the Titans and of course we expect him to honour it,” Annesley said.
“We’ve made a lot of recruitment and retention decisions off the back of his signing and we expect him to be here later this year.
“How could we (release him?) Where would we find another player of that quality on the market? Players like that don’t exist at this stage of the year.”
Annesley said the club had not yet been formally asked for a release by Peachey or his management.
Penrith gave permission to Peachey to leave the club earlier in the year, as they battled to manage their salary cap.
It’s unlikely Penrith would be able to fit him into their cap for next season, given they’ve already budgeted for his departure and he is not a starting player at the club if they are at full fitness.
Peachey himself is unsure if he would be able to remain at the club even if he did remain in Sydney at the end of the year.
“We just built a house out here and my missus is pretty comfortable and got everything there,” he said.
“Just with the decision … I just said (to my manager) I don’t want to make any decision or do anything until the year is finished.
“It might be my last year so I just want to finish on a good note.”
Peachey said Cameron Ciraldo taking over as coach from axed predecessor Anthony Griffin would not influence his decision.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old said he wanted to move full-time to five-eighth if he did head to the Titans next year under former Penrith assistant coach Garth Brennan.
“I’m happy in the centres at the moment but if I was to go to the Goldy I would really like to pursue that No.6 jersey,” he said.
“(Halfback) Ash Taylor is a good kicker, he runs the game well. I could just play as a runner.”
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Peachey says he doesn't want to make any decision until the year is finished. That's understandable talk from someone who is still trying to get his team to the Grand Final. Trouble is he has already made a decision, he's signed with the Titans. maybe he's only just told the wife.
Big Daddy
Guest
Interesting that annesly is getting involved seeing he has just taken a job with the NRL.
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Peachey won't be staying at Penrith anyway, they don't have room in the cap and would prefer to extend other players - Cleary, Blake etc. He may go to another Sydney club - Tigers my guess at the moment.
Larry1950
Guest
Draw a line in the sand Titans, if Peachey wants out then make the panthers do a swap deal for Cleary or Maloney. That will knock the idea on the head quickly. He can always sit out three years if he likes living in Penrith. At some stage, player managers have to be held accountable, if his manager tries to pull him out of this, the NRL must deregister both of them. If Peachey signed without discussing it with his wife, that's for him to sort out, sounds like a lame excuse to me.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Bingo Nat !
Albo
Roar Rookie
Why the Titans ? Because to date a footballer would only go there for the extra money on offer or the resort lifestyle, neither of which are necessarily great for football success. The Titans have generally been used for their desperate escalating of player values that suit the player agents & spivs to drive up their own commissions. Seems Peachey jumped at the cash too quickly, and now his missus is not happy to move the family away from relatives and friends.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Fully agree TB, Peachey would be a waste at the Titans, they are better off without him! You only want players that will be there for some sort of a dedicated effort and loyalty, you can't have a bloke like Peachey who doesn't want to be there (before he even starts) and would be a complete waist of time and money, give an up and coming youngster a go and invest in him instead of flogging a dead horse. But, why is this always happening at the Titans?
Nat
Roar Guru
Well played Panthers. Ayoub obviously thought they were playing hardball on a contract upgrade so had him sign elsewhere now they have doubled down by saying they've spent his salary elsewhere. In poker terms that is going all in over a bluff.
Paul
Roar Guru
Some mixed message from Peachey. No I don't want to go, because I signed a contract at the same time I must have been seriously considering putting down roots in Sydney, but IF I go, I'm telling you what position I want to play. How is it a 20 year old named Ponga, can display so much more maturity around something as important as honouring a contract, yet a 27 year old cannot?
Chris
Roar Pro
Honestly does the contract even matter anymore? I can understand having doubts but once you sign the piece of paper that should be it. Cherry-Evans is still living with the tag of 'backflipper' and I don't see why Peachey should expect or deserve any different.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Fundamentally I agree. Problem is though why would you want someone in your organisation who doesn’t want to be there and is potentially undermining everything you’re trying to establish. Plus they’re have a fair chunk of salary cap tied up there. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.
Kelvin Johnson
Roar Rookie
Shifty Scam Ayoub involved in more controversy..what a surprise. Looking forward to November 1 when he has to answer to the NRL.
thecolumn
Roar Rookie
Who does he think he is? When you sign something you commit yourself, you don't sign and then think about whether you should honour it or not. Disgraceful how casual he is about walking out of a contact.
JN
Roar Rookie
titans should stand firm and not let him leave to emphasise that a contract actually means something
Tom G
Guest
I wonder if he’ll get the full on DCE treatment.. my guess is no, he’s not a Manly player after all