Glitter Strip Bare: Gold Coast news and gossip
Greg Stolz and Jeremy Pierce, The Courier-Mail
September 5, 2017 12:00am
Subscriber only
COULD John Cartwright make a shock comeback as coach of the Gold Coast Titans?
Sources close to ‘Carty’ say he’d return to the Coast, where he’s still popular with many fans, “in a heartbeat”.
The Titans are looking for a new mentor following the dramatic sacking of Neil Henry last month after his fall-out with star Jarryd Hayne.
Cartwright was foundation coach of the Titans for eight years, departing in 2014 with two years to run on his contract as the club battled on-field performance and off-field financial problems.
The Penrith Panthers legend later joined the North Queensland Cowboys as assistant to Paul Green – winning the historic 2015 premiership – before becoming 2IC to Trent Barrett at Manly.
Cartwight was appointed NSW State of Origin assistant coach last season and has been named as one of several candidates to replace Laurie Daley following his sacking last week.
But those close to Carty say he’d jump at the chance to come back to the Coast, where he still has family, friends and property interests – including a home ironically just down the road from Henry’s beachside pad at Tugun.
A Gold Coast Bulletin reader poll after Henry’s demise revealed Cartwright was the second most popular choice to become the Titans’ next coach, after Manly great Geoff Toovey.
When he left the Titans, he had a 45.3 per cent win rate, compared with Henry’s 38 per cent at the club (44 per cent for his career). Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has a 67.8 per cent win rate.
As NSW assistant, Cartwright also has experience man-managing the walking ego that is Jarryd Hayne.
Cartwright was seen as being close to Titans founder Michael Searle – who was blamed for the club’s financial woes - but he departed around the same time as Carty.
Sources close to Cartwright believe he wouldn’t put his hand up for the Titans job and would have to be sounded out.
He has been publicly critical of the Titans board over what he saw as a lack of leadership, as well as his snubbing from the Titans 10th anniversary celebrations earlier this year.
However, that may not be so much of an issue if the NRL offloads the Titans to new owners in the coming months.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...p/news-story/27a935e79598e19e1ede8cd19e19ed0b