Gold Coast coach Neil Henry has tempered talk of star halfback Ashley Taylor becoming the NRL's next million dollar man.
Adamant the club wants to build a future around the 22-year-old Toowoomba product, Henry admitted his frustration at having to have these discussions with more than one season left on the playmaker's contract.
Keen to extend Taylor's time at the Titans beyond 2018, Henry said the constant speculation was the "nature of the beast" under the current system that allows rival clubs to sign players a full season in advance.
"We're in a battle with other clubs but hopefully he sees real opportunity here," Henry said.
"We're determined to put forward an offer that will keep him at the club long term."
"A transfer window happens in other sports doesn't it, maybe it's something we need to look at."
The coach said any big-money deal needed to be put into context.
"When you line up the players (on $1 million per season), we're talking about players who are week in, week out match-winners and have earned that money over a long period of time," Henry said.
"It's topical and journalists like to put figures on it; sometimes they're close to the mark, sometimes they're way off.
"Any marquee player is part of the puzzle, but we've got to fit 30 players into a cap."
That issue was highlighted this week when Taylor's current halves partner and close friend Tyrone Roberts indicated the frustrations surrounding his own contract negotiations.
Despite forming an effective on-field pairing with Taylor, Roberts seems likely to be pushed out of his favoured role when Kane Elgey returns to full fitness.
At this stage Roberts and Taylor will play in the halves against Wests Tigers in a must-win game on Sunday at CBus Super Stadium, with Elgey to come off the bench in his second game back from a knee reconstruction.
That could change if Kevin Proctor (hamstring) and Dale Copley (knee) don't overcome injuries by Saturday, with Elgey moving into the halves, Roberts to fullback and Jarryd Hayne into the centres.
But going forward, Henry indicated Elgey was the man most likely to wear the No. 6.
"Kane had an outstanding rookie year, missed a year with a knee reconstruction and is contracted for next season already," Henry qualified.
"We need to weigh up what role Tyrone will play in the club."
STATS THAT MATTER
* A try has been scored inside 13 minutes in all 18 games played between the two sides, with half of the matches featuring a try inside five minutes.
* The past five - and 12 of the 18 matches in total - between these two sides have been decided by 12 points or less.
* The Titans have won 11 of 18 matches against the Tigers, their best record against any team besides the Eels (11 of 16).
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