Titans chairman Dennis Watt discusses Gold Coast’s salary cap position amid Josh Reynolds rumours

TITANS chairman Dennis Watt insists the club has little room to move in its 2020 salary cap but the door could still be ajar for this year’s wooden-spooners to nab a high-profile recruit.

TITANS chairman Dennis Watt insists the club has little room to move in its 2020 salary cap but the door could still be ajar for this year’s wooden-spooners to nab a high-profile recruit, including Wests Tigers discard Josh Reynolds.

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With Wests giving under-contract five-eighth Reynolds permission to negotiate with NRL rivals, a report out of Sydney over the weekend suggested the Titans were looming as a possible home for the former NSW playmaker next season.

While Gold Coast has a handful of spots left to fill on next year’s 30-man roster, Watt confirmed the club had limited cap space with which to lure a big name.

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However, with the future of several players - including million-dollar halfback Ash Taylor - still uncertain ahead of new coach Justin Holbrook’s arrival next month, any departures could pave the way for the club to enter the market.

While Watt would not be drawn on Reynolds specifically, he said the fickle NRL transfer market meant changes for next season were not out of the realms of possibility.

Josh Reynolds in action for Wests Tigers this year. Picture: AAP Image/Darren Pateman

“It can be attractive for players to seek two or three-year deals elsewhere. Someone might be in their last year (here) and get a three-year offer elsewhere so if that’s the case it’s always a possibility that they will come and ask for a release from their final year,” Watt said.

“There’s not a lot of room in the cap for next year. There’s a few minimum-value spots to be filled there but nothing of significance.

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“I think there’s about 13 or 14 blokes off-contract at the end of 2020 so if there is movement it’s more likely to be the following year. With those players off-contract you’d expect them to play well in 2020.”

Titans head of performance and culture Mal Meninga last month told News Corp the club would not stand in Taylor’s way if he asked for a release from his deal, which expires at the end of 2020.

Ash Taylor playing for Tweed Seagulls. Picture: SMP Images

Earmarked as the future of the club when he signed a massive three-year deal in late 2017, 24-year-old Taylor endured a nightmare 2019 campaign, with a loss of form and mental health battle leaving him to play out the back half of the season with Intrust Super Cup side Tweed Seagulls.

“At the end of the day, the ball is in Ash’s court,” Meninga said.

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“Personally, I would love to see Ash succeed at the Titans and we’re doing everything possible to get him back to where he needs to be. But if it’s not working for Ash or for us then I would consider something like a straight swap if another club was interested and it worked out well for all parties.”