Gold Coast signing Brenton Lawrence has announced his retirement before playing another game for the Titans, amid speculation Penrith prop Leilani Latu is bound for the NRL club.
Three months after Lawrence signed a two-year deal to return to the Titans, the club said the 32-year-old had told them he did not feel his body could take another NRL season and promptly retired.
Lawrence made his NRL debut with the Gold Coast in 2011 before a five-year stint with Manly which took his tally to 102 first-grade games.
"Of course we would have loved Brenton to play for the club but he has made a selfless decision and I commend him for that," Titans coach Garth Brennan said.
Lawrence's departure came after a report that Latu had received a release from the Panthers and had signed a three-year Titans deal.
Fox Sports said Latu would begin training with his new teammates on Thursday.
The release of Latu -- who played in Brennan's Panthers Under 20s team -- is expected to help Penrith seal a deal with Cronulla's Test playmaker James Maloney.
The Titans hoped to keep Lawrence at the club in a support role.
"We are currently talking to Brenton about how we can keep him involved with the Titans," Titans CEO Graham Annesley said.
