The NRL won’t stand in the way if Gold Coast want to sack coach Neil Henry

THE NRL will not stand in Gold Coast’s way if they want to sack battling coach Neil Henry following a string of losses.

Gold Coast Titans training at Parkwood. Coach Neil Henry speaks to the players..Picture Glenn Hampson

THE NRL will not stand in the way of the Titans potentially sacking Neil Henry as Gold Coast hierarchy launched an internal probe into allegations the besieged coach is at loggerheads with players.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Titans chief executive Graham Annesley interviewed 12 Gold Coast stars to discuss Henry’s performance in the wake of the club’s humiliating 54-0 loss to the Broncos.

A cross-section of the Titans’ 25-man full-time roster were summoned to Annesley’s office for informal discussions, including senior players Ryan James, Jarrod Wallace and Jarryd Hayne.

In the one-on-one interviews, held on Monday, the players were asked to appraise Henry and whether there was unrest among the group.

Henry is under real pressure following three dismal losses from the Titans.

Some players praised Henry’s coaching. Others were critical of his communication style and raised concerns about Henry making what they perceived as unnecessary changes to team lists and game plans.

Annesley refused to discuss the meetings last night, but it understood the Titans boss notified Henry in advance of the player-probe, which casts fresh doubt over his future at the Gold Coast.

“We’ve all been focused this week on addressing whatever we can do to get things back on track as quickly as possible,” he said.

The ructions for the Titans continued on Tuesday with Aquis deciding not to take up a four-year option — leaving the Gold Coast without a major sponsor for next season.

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But the more pressing concern is easing tensions between several Titans players and Henry, who secured a 12-month extension for 2018 after steering the Coast to the finals last season.

Henry was widely believed to be safe for next year given that the NRL owns the Titans and would be reluctant to incur further debt by rubberstamping an estimated $350,000 payout if his contract is terminated.

But the NRL last night told The Courier-Mail it would not intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Titans.

“It is up to the club to determine its coach, playing roster and staffing,” the NRL spokesman said.

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That places Henry’s fate in the hands of the seven-person Titans board, which includes chair Rebecca Frizelle, former owner Darryl Kelly and Lynne Anderson, the daughter of late Bulldogs supremo Peter Moore.

The Titans posted a $2.5 million deficit last season, but the NRL may be forced to dig deeper into their pockets if the Titans board, due to meet in the coming weeks, deems Henry has lost the dressing room.

Henry addressed claims he is fighting for his career at the Titans.

“We’ve had some talks as a team and I’ve talked to my senior players,” he said.

“We are all accountable here. Things fall with the head coach, I accept that, you roll with the good times and hang in during the tough times.

“It’s speculation. Whether it’s me or other coaches in the NRL ... it’s the nature of the beast and comes with the territory.

“What we can do is respond and play decent football.”