Market Watch: Des Hasler, Titans re-sign Brian Kelly, Dolphins give Tom Gilbert long-term deal
Des Hasler doesn’t officially start his tenure at the Titans until November – but the wily old coach is already making moves at the club.
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Des Hasler has made his first recruitment and retention move at the Titans after Gold Coast re-signed centre Brian Kelly.
Kelly has rejected an approach from Newcastle and is in the final stages of inking a three-year contract extension to remain at the Titans until at least the end of 2026.
Kelly, 27, was off-contract at the end of this season and facing an uncertain future following the sacking of coach Justin Holbrook.
He was terse when asked by media about his future on Tuesday.
“I’m at the end of the contract this year but hopefully I’ll sort something out,” he said.
“I’ll let my managers do that. We’ll see how we go.”
When pressed on whether it may be his fifth and final season at the Titans, Kelly replied: “I don’t know, we’ll see how it goes.”
However the appointment of two-time NRL premiership coach Hasler as Holbrook’s replacement has prolonged Kelly’s career at the Titans for at least another three seasons.
Kelly came through the Titans’ development system, but made his NRL debut for Manly in 2017.
He spent two seasons at the Sea Eagles before heading back to the Titans in 2019 – the same year Hasler returned to Manly.
Hasler doesn’t officially start his three-year tenure at the Titans until November, but has had input into the future of the club.
Only a handful of Titans players remain off-contract this year, with Kelly joining the likes of AJ Brimson, Beau Fermor, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Jayden Campbell and Sam Verrills in committing to the club until 2026.
However Hasler still has the lingering Holbrook contract clause situation surrounding Queensland Origin stars Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita.
Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita have the option to become free agents and test the open market following Holbrook’s sacking.
They are tipped to remain at the Titans, however losing one, or both, of the club’s best two players would be a crushing blow ahead of Hasler’s arrival.
BENNETT LOCKS IN MAROONS STAR ON $3M MEGA DEAL
Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins have continued their big-money retention drive by handing Queensland Origin star Tom Gilbert a mega $3 million-plus contract extension.
Maroons firebrand Gilbert has signed a lucrative five-year upgrade that will keep him at the Dolphins until at least the end of the 2028 NRL season.
Gilbert’s show of loyalty is a major coup for the Dolphins ahead of Sunday’s clash against the Bulldogs at Salter Oval.
It continues an impressive retention drive for the Dolphins that has netted major extensions for emerging stars including Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jeremy Marshall-King and Connelly Lemuelu.
The Dolphins have also added Broncos representative stars Tom Flegler and Herbie Farnworth and Bulldogs speedster Jake Averillo to the squad for next year.
The 22-year-old Gilbert has been outstanding in the Dolphins’ foundation season, producing a run of form that was cut short when he suffered a major shoulder injury in the opening State of Origin game in May.
Now Gilbert, who grew up in Brisbane before making his NRL debut with the Cowboys, has inked a bumper extension to ensure he will remain with the Dolphins for the long haul.
Already signed until 2025, this revised deal will add another three years for a player that is earmarked for a senior leadership role.
“I am very happy to have my long-term future locked in with the Dolphins,” said Gilbert.
“As a Brisbane boy, it has been a great experience to see an NRL team flourish in the region I grew up in. It’s also been a privilege to do it alongside this group of players and with my family right by my side.
“You can see that the Dolphins are set up for a bright future and I want to be part of it.”
Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader said Gilbert has been a revelation for the club and shapes as a future captain.
“Tom will always be remembered along with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow as the first player to represent Queensland from the Dolphins NRL team,” he said.
“His work ethic and involvement both on and off the field for the Dolphins already has Tom held in high regard by both the coaches and staff of the club.
“His impressive maturity and ability to work hard towards a goal make him a certainty for future leadership roles here, not excluding the opportunity to one day be captain of the club.”
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