PROSPECTIVE Titans owner Darryl Kelly admits his “patience has...

PROSPECTIVE Titans owner Darryl Kelly admits his “patience has been tested” by the NRL’s sluggish sale of the Gold Coast NRL club.

The Sunday Mail can reveal the consortium comprising former chairwoman Rebecca Frizelle and ex-owner Kelly is on the verge of securing the Titans licence.
Frizelle-Kelly and the NRL are in the final stages of negotiations and an announcement on the sale could be imminent if the parties can reach an agreement.
However, the NRL’s reluctance to rule out pirate-loving investor Stuart McAuliffe’s bid could lead to a shock decision if negotiations with Frizelle-Kelly break down.
The NRL is planning to announce the sale on the Gold Coast this week, but that could fall over given the delays in finalising the sale which was originally slated to be completed by October 31.The NRL has been weighing up the bids presented by Frizelle and Kelly, the white knight who rescued the Titans from extinction in 2013, against McAuliffe’s $30 million promise to keep rugby league’s professional presence on the Gold Coast.
Financially, McAuliffe has blown Frizelle and Kelly out of the water, however the latter believe they have a long-term plan to ensure the Titans survive in a volatile economic climate.
Kelly, who lost more than $5 million when the league assumed ownership of the Titans in 2015, said he remained committed despite the NRL’s lethargy in finalising the sale.
“We are still in the hunt,” he said.
“The patience has been tested but we are still there. We are committed.”
McAuliffe has compiled an attractive bid promising a commitment worth up to $20 million on top of the initial $10 million to purchase the licence.


The NRL has conducted due diligence on McAuliffe’s credentials following revelations his companies have been sued by the Australian Taxation Office.

The Brisbane-based investment fund manager believes he is deserving of the club despite being a relative newcomer to the NRL landscape.

“We have made our final submissions, so we’ll see what the NRL wants to decide on. We’ll soon find out,” McAuliffe said.
“I am very confident in our bid. We have put in a very strong financial bid, what I believe to be stronger than what anybody has ever put into buying an NRL licence.
“I am adamant rugby league can succeed on the Gold Coast. In sporting terms, there is no better TV product. It is condensed, fast, it’s very marketable.

“I believe the Gold Coast is best positioned to succeed because the region is attractive to an international audience if we market the club in the right way.”

The prolonged sale of the Titans has had an impact on the club’s day-to-day operations.
The club has been reluctant to assess its management structure despite learning of chief operating officer Tony Mestrov’s departure in mid-October.
Football department budgets could be affected by an ownership change and the club is on the hunt for an experienced recruitment manager.
After finishing 15th in 2017, sacking coach Neil Henry to replace him with rookie Garth Brennan, and farewelling $1.2 million flop Jarryd Hayne this week, the Gold Coast is desperately seeking stability.
And the finalisation of its ownership is the first pillar in rebuilding the fractured Titans