NRL 2021: Titans looked to be priced out of recruitment of Super League sensation Daryl Clark

Gold Coast have aborted their pursuit of Super League sensation Daryl Clark after being stunned at the salary and terms he was seeking to leave England.

Ash Taylor. Picture: Jason O'Brien

The Titans have baulked at the asking price of Super League sensation Daryl Clark, leaving the Gold Coast to continue their hunt for a new No. 9.

News Corp understands the Titans have aborted their pursuit of Clark for now after being stunned at the salary and terms he was seeking to leave England.

Reports from England this week suggested Clark was Gold Coast-bound in 2021, however that is not the case.

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Brandon Smith is still a target for the Titans.

Titans figurehead Mal Meninga has made no secret of his desire to land a quality dummy-half next year, revealing an experienced No. 9 was the Gold Coast‘s chief recruitment target.

The Titans hoped to lure Melbourne star Brandon Smith to the Gold Coast, however the Storm would not entertain releasing him without a big-name player trade occurring.

The Storm even asked the Titans to release former Melbourne gun Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to facilitate the Smith signing, which the Gold Coast rejected.

The Titans still have an eye on Smith for 2023 and beyond, but he is also being chased hard by Canterbury coach Trent Barrett.

The Smith impasse prompted the Titans to look abroad at Clark, Warrington’s hooker and a former England Test player.

Mitch Rein is doing his best to earn a new contract.

At 28, Clark is an experienced rake with more than 270 games of first grade experience in England.

He was named the Super League’s Man of Steel - equivalent to the NRL’s Dally M Medal - in 2014 before touring Australia for the Four Nations.

The Titans made Clark an offer but were blown away by what he was seeking to head to Australia.

Clark not only wanted top dollar to head to the Gold Coast but was also seeking the security of a three-year deal, which the Titans would not entertain.

Titans figures have not ruled out signing Clark, but he would have to dramatically lower his asking price for the club to entertain a deal.

Jake Turpin could be of interfest for thre Titans.

At this stage, negotiations have hit a stalemate and not progressed.

The Titans have re-signed bench dummy-half Erin Clark for a further two years and starting hooker Mitch Rein is seeking a new contract.

Rein has been one of the Gold Coast‘s better players in 2021 and the club has not ruled out re-signing him.

Broncos hooker Jake Turpin looms as a possible recruitment target for the Titans given he is off-contract at Brisbane this year and the club is courting Canberra’s Josh Hodgson.

Latest setback in maligned Titan’s fight for future

Ash Taylor’s fight to prolong his NRL career and win a new contract at the Gold Coast Titans has hit a hurdle after the maligned five-eighth succumbed to injury.

Despite being named in the No. 6 jersey, Taylor will not play in Saturday’s clash against Wests Tigers in Campbelltown and will be replaced by young utility Tanah Boyd.

Taylor has been struggling for form and fitness in 2021 after undergoing surgery on both his hips during the off-season.

The operations proved to be tough to rebound from, with Taylor unable to run freely and being severely restricted with his movements on the field.

Ash Taylor had a restricted pre-season after surgery. Picture: Jason O'Brien

The Titans have lost their past three games and while Taylor showed glimpses of brilliance, coach Justin Holbrook decided to bite the bullet and promote Boyd.

Taylor, 26, is in the final year of his controversial $1 million-a-season contract with the Titans and is yet to be offered an extension.

Holbrook said he expected Taylor to return to the team when he was fit, but could not put a time frame on his recovery.

“Ash is struggling with injury,” Holbrook said.

“It’s just his hips. He is not 100 per cent.

“I expect him to be back in the team, he’s just got to get fit.

“He is like any other player when they’re not right and battling with injury. We’ve got to get him right.

“He’s done the right thing for us and stuck his hand up (to play). He will do that again, but it’s about us telling him to get himself right.

“It’s not long-term. We’ve been pushing him along each week and he’s not getting better. It’s taking him longer to recover.”

Ash Taylor has been struggling for form and fitness. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty

Taylor’s exit has opened the door for Boyd to press his claims for a permanent spot in the Gold Coast’s halves.

Boyd started at five-eighth twice earlier this season while Taylor was sidelined with a broken hand and prefers to play in the halves, as opposed to the bench hooker role he had last year.

Boyd, 20, has a long-term relationship with Titans backrower David Fifita from their days playing together at Keebra Park High School and Holbrook hopes that can help spark the Gold Coast.

“Tanah has been knocking on the door for a while. He is a great trainer and a great young kid,” he said.

“He’s had a couple of runs for us this year and done well.

“They’ve had good success at schoolboys level a few years ago, they do like playing together.”

Tanah Boyd gets a crack at five-eighth. Picture: Hitchcock/Getty

After a promising start to the season, the Titans have leaked 112 points during a three-game losing streak.

The inconsistent Tigers could be a threat at Campbelltown and Holbrook said he was looking for more unity in his team.

“They’ve been three different games,” he said.

“Against Manly (36-0) we had a really poor attitude towards the whole game. Souths (40-30) we did really well until we lost a couple of guys to injury and didn’t handle it well.

“We were out of sorts against the Broncos (36-28). We defended individually, which was the biggest concern.

“We’ve got to get back to playing as a team.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Titans looked to be priced out of recruitment of Super League sensation Daryl Clark