NRL takes over Gold Coast Titans as drug scandal deepens

THE NRL has taken control of the Gold Coast Titans in an effort to help the club survive.

Titans player Kalifa Faifai Loa on the attack in their NRL pre-season trial against New Zealand Warriors at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Saturday, February 7, 2015. Photo Kevin Farmer / The Chronicle. Picture: Kevin Farmer

THE NRL has taken control of the Gold Coast Titans in an effort to help the club survive.

Fairfax Media is reporting that the governing body is in discussions with stakeholders including co-owner Darryl Kelly and former Titans chief Michael Searle who has a stake in the club.

Last last week, Kelly publicly declared he would not sell his 47.2% stake in the club after investing more than $5 million.

Now it appears there has been a change of heart, according to Fairfax, after Titan players Greg Bird, Dave Taylor, Beau Falloon, Jame Dowling and Kalifa Faifai Loa were caught up in a drug sting by the Queensland Crime Commission.

NRL boss Dave Smith is attempting to head off claims that the Gold Coast may not be able to justify its own team, stepping in to provide now-critical life support.

An official deal is expected to announced on Tuesday.

The goal would be to help the Titans limp through this scandal, so the club's structure can be repaired and reformed.

Originally published as NRL takes over Gold Coast Titans as drug scandal deepens