New year, same old woes for NRL strugglers Gold Coast.
Still reeling from the departure of their best player in James Roberts to Brisbane following an administrative error, the Titans have confirmed rising star Kane Elgey is out for 2016 after injuring his knee.
Scans revealed Elgey had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after a minor incident at training on Monday, ruling the halfback out for the entire season.
The news is the last thing the Titans needed after a 2015 to forget which began with several members of the playing squad being charged with drug offences and ended with Roberts' bizarre contract bungle.
Elgey's emergence as a genuine NRL playmaker was one of the most-encouraging aspects of the troubled 12 months for the club.
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The 21-year-old softened the blow of Daly Cherry-Evans' controversial decision to back out of a multi-million dollar deal with the Titans as he became the team's leading No.7.
But now coach Neil Henry will have to rely on recruits Tyrone Roberts and Ashley Taylor as well as utilities Daniel Mortimer and Karl Lawton as his halves options for the upcoming season.
"It's terrible for the club and Kane in particular," Henry said on Tuesday.
"He's very shattered, as you would be.
"It's terrible news for him personally and for the club. We're going to miss him - he's a big part of our team."
Taylor, a young gun who made his NRL debut for Brisbane in the final round of the 2015 home-and-away campaign, is also recovering from a serious injury.
The 20-year-old sustained a gruesome hand injury in that debut but Henry was confident he'd be ready to play in the Titans' first pre-season trial next month against Parramatta in Alice Springs.
"We just have to make sure we get our halves combination (right)," Henry said.
"It gives Ash Taylor an opportunity to work with Ty Roberts and he's recovering from his hand surgery a lot better."
Henry says the club is still in the market for more recruits for the 2016 campaign, though he won't specify any particular targets.
"We do have a few spots in our top 25 to fill," he said.
"We still could look at a front-rower. Certainly, centres is a spot we're open to trying to recruit a couple of players as well.
"I think there'll be a bit of movement before the season kicks off."
