DIEHARD
Custodian
The inside story of the 2016 battle that saved the Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans survived a $7 million takeover bid a decade ago that would have stripped away their identity and rebranded them as the Bears.
The Gold Coast Titans are preparing for the kick-off of the club’s 20th season in the NRL.
It’s been two decades of highs and lows for the city’s top-flight rugby league team, with this year to see it play under a new coach with an overhauled line-up.
It comes ahead of an expansion of the NRL, with fresh teams set to come from Perth and Papua New Guinea in coming years.
The arrival of the Perth Bears in 2027, to be coached by former Titans figure and NRL legend Mal Meninga, comes a decade after 2016 talks for the originally Sydney-based club’s attempt to take over the Titans.
Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga. Picture: Colin Murty
February 2016 was just one year after the NRL had taken control of the struggling club, which was in the middle of a rebuilding process.
As the Titans launched their 2016 season, one which would ultimately see them reach the finals, news broke the North Sydney Bears was plotting an ambitious takeover effort.
The Bulletin reported the Bears had “held several discussions with the ARL Commission – rugby league’s governing body in Australia – in recent months regarding a takeover as soon as 2017”.
“While the talks are yet to reach a formal stage, the plan would see the Gold Coast Bears embrace the black and red colours associated with now-defunct foundation club, North Sydney,” the Bulletin reported at the time.
“The club would continue to be based on the Gold Coast, with at least nine of their 12 home games to be played at Cbus Super Stadium at Robina.
How the Bulletin reported the story at the time.
“The remainder would be shared between North Sydney Oval and Central Coast Stadium in Gosford – both of which involve substantially lower usage fees than Robina.
“The Bears brand, which carries sponsors, is thought by its backers to have far more appeal and support than the Titans, a brand which has repeatedly been plagued by scandals in recent years.
“The bid would maintain the current structure, with the likes of Titans chief executive Graham Annesley and new chief operating officer Brian Canavan highly regarded.”
However, among those who were not keen on the deal was former team co-owner Darryl Kelly, who was keen to buy back a share in the club and for the Titans identity to be retained.
2016: Graham Annesley, then-Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Coast Titans and Rebecca Frizelle, then-Chairwoman. Photo: Regi Varghese
Also unimpressed was Titans chairwoman Rebecca Frizelle.
“Everyone at the club is totally focused on building a club that the people of the Gold Coast can be proud of,” she said at the time.
“The issue of ownership will be addressed at some point in the future but the clear view of the current board is the club must be owned by a local consortium in the best interests of the Titans and the Gold Coast community.
“Unfortunately, this constant speculation about rebranding just sucks the momentum out of everything we are trying to achieve”.
Darryl Kelly. Picture Glenn Hampson
The battle for the future of the club raged into late 2017, with Ms Frizelle and Mr Kelly forming a consortium to assume ownership of the Titans and block the Bears takeover, which was valued at more than $7m at the time.
Several other big names, including the Brisbane Bombers and Stuart McAuliffe, then the managing director of investment management company John Bridgeman, also developed their bids, which went before the NRL for consideration.
The Frizelle-Kelly consortium was named the club’s new owners in December 2017.
The club today remains owned by the Frizelle family after Mr Kelly sold his share.
With its future secure, the club is now focusing on making a return to the finals and securing a maiden grand final berth in the future.
