Titans coach Des Hasler weighs up mass clean-out to fix roster hell

The first domino has fallen in Des Hasler’s Titans roster overhaul, with a former Kiwis international star released, as club bosses weigh up a mass clean-out.

The first domino has fallen in Des Hasler’s Titans cleanout after former Kiwis winger Ken Maumalo departed the Gold Coast.

Just days after this masthead revealed systemic issues with the Titans’ top 30 playing roster, Maumalo has been immediately released from the remainder of his contract.

Maumalo, 30, joined the Titans from Wests Tigers in 2023 on a three-year contract, but failed to play a single NRL game for Gold Coast.

A 135-game NRL representative, he languished in reserve grade for the entirety of his two-and-a-half seasons on the Gold Coast.

Ken Maumalo has been released from the Titans effective immediately. Picture: NRL Imagery

With little prospect of returning to the NRL with the Titans, the club and Maumalo “mutually agreed” to part ways on Wednesday.

The Titans went into 2025 with 12 players coming off-contract.

They recently farewelled former schoolboys prodigy Ryder Williams and Maumalo has now followed him out the door.

TITANIC CLEAN-OUT: HASLER’S GOLD COAST ROSTER HELL

Des Hasler has encountered a roster hell as the Titans weigh up a mass clean-out to transform Gold Coast into a genuine NRL premiership contender.

This masthead has conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Titans’ roster and recruitment strategy which has uncovered a multitude of problems in Gold Coast’s playing squad.

The Titans were tipped to break a three-year finals duck under Hasler this season following three consecutive bottom-four finishes.

But they find themselves under pressure early, with their 30-20 Round 7 defeat to Canberra their third straight loss.

The Titans are flailing as the club considers a roster overhaul. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images. Picture: Getty Images

Not even the return of inspirational captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui from suspension could lift the Titans to victory.

A string of injuries, including backrower David Fifita (hamstring) and halfback Jayden Campbell (ankle), has forced Hasler to use 24 players in Gold Coast’s opening six games of the season, exposing the club’s lack of depth below a promising best 17.

Titans CEO Steve Mitchell said the club was constantly reviewing its playing squad.

“It’s fair to say the ball hasn’t bounced our way in the start of the season and what we’re missing from (players) 1-20 particularly,” he said.

“I don’t think that’s going to get any better as the player market across the game heats up.

“We’ve also had some really good stories. There is certainly some guys coming through that are starting to play and earn positions based on merit and effort.

“We’ve got to make sure we look at the right personalities and give them the opportunity when it arises.

“We’ve got some really fabulous players and a large part of the roster that has plenty of potential has now started to play together for a long period of time.

“You would think that means they’re coming into really good form collectively and consistency is important for us.

“We need to make sure we have the players around them to support that. That is vitally important.

“We are always reviewing it.”

The Titans won two of their opening three games but have been poor in heavy losses to the Dolphins and Dragons in the past month, before giving up a 16-0 lead against the Raiders.

They have been missing some quality talent in reigning player of the year Keano Kini (neck), Kieran Foran (biceps), Alofiana Khan-Pereira (hamstring) and Wallabies convert Carter Gordon (back).

Regular first graders Sam Verrills, Jojo Fifita, Brian Kelly and Jaimin Jolliffe have also missed matches, while Campbell went down at training last week.

That has exposed a serious lack of NRL quality depth in the Titans’ top-30 squad that is paid a collective $11.4 million in the salary cap.

While Gold Coast’s top 17 can compete with any team in the NRL on its day, the club’s depth quickly drops off a cliff.

The Titans have a number of players chewing up all-important top-30 spots with little prospect of playing in the NRL.

Former Kiwis winger Maumalo has been at the Titans since 2023 and is yet to make a single NRL appearance for the club, languishing in reserve grade for the entirety of his three-year top squad contract.

Ben Liyou has been plagued by knee injuries and Ryan Foran has only made sporadic reserve grade appearances over the last three seasons.

A promising front-row prospect, Josiah Pahulu last year requested a release from his contract following a spat over a bonus with the club. It was denied and he is yet to re-sign.

Hasler has been forced to call-on development prop Arama Hau and hand NRL debuts to train-and-trial players Brock Gray and Allan Fitzgibbon to fill his team from outside the top 30 this season.

Injuries are a part of the game and Gold Coast’s reserves haven’t been able to match it with their opposition.

“There’s a squad of 30-35 for a reason,” Titans forward Beau Fermor said.

“You look at teams who have won the premiership like Penrith and it just seems like the next person comes up and does their job. That’s what we need.

“Injuries happen, they’re a part of our game. We wish we could limit them but it’s going to take a whole squad to go well, go far into the season and hopefully win a premiership.

“When it’s your time to stand up, you need to stand up and do your job.”

The Titans have the bulk of their squad locked up with Fa’asuamaleaui (2033), AJ Brimson (2030), Moeaki Fotuaika (2027) and Reagan Campbell-Gillard (2027) secured.

But they have 12 players in their top-30 squad coming off-contract at the end of this year, and a further 10 at the end of 2026, giving Hasler the freedom to make changes.

Of those 12, outside back Jojo Fifita is the only one locked in on the Gold Coast after agreeing to a fresh two-year extension.

Veteran playmaker Kieran Foran is expected to retire and the club has already released former schoolboys prodigy Ryder Williams.

The players fighting for their futures at the Titans include Fa’asuamaleaui’s brother Iszac, Harley Smith-Shields, Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Jaylan De Groot, Tony Francis, Pahulu, Maumalolo and Ryan Foran.

Mitchell said the Titans had to be shrewd with their planning, especially with NRL expansion ventures in Papua New Guinea (2028) and potentially Perth (2027) on the horizon.

“It’s constant and consistent review in regards to what the composition of the squad looks like,” he said.

“Particularly with the advent of new franchises on the horizon and what that means for the game.

“It’s exciting for the development of the game, but will also certainly put pressure on the player market.”

Originally published as Titans coach Des Hasler weighs up mass clean-out to fix roster hell