There were more questions than answers after the NRL announced they would take over embattled club the Gold Coast Titans.
But CEO Graham Annesley reckoned the two most important queries have finally been addressed.
“Since I arrived at this club, I’ve constantly been asked, `is the club going to fold?’ and ‘is it going to be relocated?’,” he said.
“The clear answers are ‘no’ and ‘no’.
“The announcement by (NRL boss) Dave Smith should give great heart to fans and our partners.”
Plenty more answers will be demanded by long suffering Titans supporters.
How long will the NRL hold the Titans’ reins?
How much will the league tip in for the battling Titans?
And more importantly, what will a Gold Coast franchise need to do to ever prosper on the tourist strip?
Smith says they will take control of the Titans – which has been placed into voluntary administration – for “as long as it takes”.
As for financial support, Smith may give a better indication at Friday’s NRL AGM.
Smith is reportedly expected to announce a record net profit of $50 million with non-broadcast income now exceeding $115 million.
“This game is miles ahead of where it’s ever been,” Smith said on Tuesday.
“On Friday I will announce some significant growth figures – we are in great shape.”
It is uncertain how much the league will pump into the Titans, however, Smith has promised that the club won’t be on a “shoestring budget”.
It is music to the ears of the Gold Coast franchise that had been reportedly facing $2.5 million in losses this year.
However, there are some losers.
Club founder Michael Searle has not only finally cut all ties with the club after the NRL announcement but his company has lost its $4.4 million share.
White knight and majority shareholder of 47 per cent Darryl Kelly’s $5.3 million rescue package is also gone.
The NRL is now the sole shareholder of the club but they have retained chairwoman Rebecca Frizelle and board members Paul Donovan and Kelly along with CEO Annesley.
Kelly has vowed not to walk away.
Then there is the ongoing cocaine scandal.
Titans players Greg Bird, Dave Taylor, Beau Falloon, Jamie Dowling and Kalifa Faifai Loa have been issued with court notices to face drug supply charges and are due to appear in court over the next fortnight.
They have been stood down pending their court appearances.
Smith stressed that the scandal had nothing to do with the takeover but the controversy over the players’ looming court appearances compounded the financial dilemmas and clearly triggered the NRL bailout call.
Yet already the Titans claim supporters have rallied behind the NRL’s intervention, judging by fan forums.
And with the NRL’s backing, the Titans have again become a factor in luring off-contract playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans.
Plenty of answers may have been demanded after the NRL’s Titans takeover, but few will now question Smith’s commitment to the traditionally troubled franchise.
