Gold Coast Titans coach Garth Brennan rules himself out of Penrith coaching race

TITANS coach Garth Brennan has ruled himself out of a return to Penrith, declaring he is ready to fight for long-term success at the Gold Coast.

TITANS coach Garth Brennan has ruled himself out of a return to Penrith, declaring he is ready to fight for long-term success at the Gold Coast.

Brennan has been touted as a possible replacement for sacked Penrith coach Anthony Griffin given his links to the Panthers.

Brennan spent six years at Penrith in various lower grade and assistant coach positions before being poached by the Titans to replace Neil Henry this season.

The rookie NRL coach has a two-year deal at the Titans, which expires at the end of the 2019 season.

LISTEN! Buzz Rothfield grills Phil Gould on the reasons behind the sacking of Penrith coach Anthony Griffin.

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However, Brennan can earn himself an extension into 2020 if he can guide the Titans to a finals berth next year and prove to Gold Coast powerbrokers he is the right man to lead the club.

“I’ve got a two-year deal at the Gold Coast and I’m loving it up here,” Brennan said when asked if he could return to Penrith.

“I’m really excited about how we’re heading, what we’re doing and how these young kids are developing.

“It’s certainly unfinished business up here for me on the Gold Coast. I’m quite happy on the Gold Coast.

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“I’m not going to get caught up in the Penrith stuff. They’ve got their things they’re going through.

“I’m contracted here at the Gold Coast Titans and loving what we’re doing here.

“We’re heading in the right direction with some of these young kids. I’m really excited about how we’re progressing.”

Brennan was an assistant to Griffin in 2016 before focusing on Penrith’s reserve grade team last year which won the Intrust Super Premiership.

Brennan worked at Penrith for years.

His decade of lower grade coaching at Newcastle and Penrith provided Brennan with the coaching resume that secured him the Titans role.

Brennan still holds the Panthers in high regard and is close to Penrith football boss Phil Gould.

Ironically, the Titans will host Penrith at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday.

Teams are renowned for producing strong performances after a coach has been sacked, but Brennan is refusing to get caught up in the Penrith hype.

“I don’t really want to comment too much on Penrith, they’ve got their issues down there they’re dealing with,” he said.

“I’m sure there is some smart people down there and Phil Gould who will make the right decisions on what’s best for that club.

Brennan will stick with the Titans. AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

“I don’t know if there is any good time to get the Panthers with the way they’ve been playing.

“We’re not focusing on Penrith. They’ve got some issues down there that we can’t get caught up in.

“We’re focusing on ourselves and making sure we prepare the best we possibly can. We’re going out to be the best Titans team we possibly can be.”

Brennan has named young forward Keegan Hipgrave to return from a hamstring injury against the Panthers after he missed last Saturday’s loss to Parramatta.

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