Jarryd Hayne has won his battle with Titans coach Neil Henry, who has this afternoon been sacked.
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Titans chief executive Graeme Annesley said Henry was told on Saturday and Titans players were informed on Monday that Henry will not be with them next season.
The development follows a much-publicised fallout between Henry and Hayne, the $1.2 million-a-season sign who has failed to deliver this season.
Despite much public support from senior Titans players, it is understood that Henry had lost the support of other players.
Earlier on Monday, senior Gold Coast players put Henry's case forward, with Origin prop Jarrod Wallace and Kiwi international Kevin Proctor both downplaying suggestions of a fall-out with Hayne.
They were not able to downplay the poor results that have left the side without a win since round 19 and third-last on the ladder. But that, they said, was down to their own shabby performances, not the direction of the coach.
Henry had been stoic under the sharp glare of the spotlight. Less than an hour after a board meeting ended last week, he was dealing with reports that he was about to be given his marching orders by chief executive Graham Annesley.
Captain Ryan James gave an impassioned defence of Henry after the club's most recent defeat at the hands of the Eels, while Proctor insisted Henry was the popular choice among a playing group that has struggled to be competitive since a 54-0 flogging by the Broncos.
"I reckon he's the right man for the job ... we're all backing him as players and I'm hoping the board does that too," Proctor said on Monday. "He's been getting hammered by the press and I feel sorry for him. Our bad performances have been backlashing on him and he doesn't deserve it."
Proctor, James and hooker Nathan Peats had taken it upon themselves to speak up for Henry, going to see Annesley last week to press their case for his retention.
"We went there [to meet Annesley] by ourselves and said what we wanted to say, spoke for the players and told him our side of the story," Proctor said. "We had a good yarn and got our point across.
"A new coach means we'd have to start from the bottom again to do that rebuilding phase again ... we're backing him and hoping for a positive result."
with Phil Lutton
