It’s unlikely to be on the lucrative terms of his current deal but Gold Coast half Ash Taylor has been given a simple direction by coach Justin Holbrook to earn a new contract.
Taylor had a resurgent NRL campaign under Holbrook after moving to five-eighth in 2020, forming a promising combination with No.7 Jamal Fogarty.
Lured from rivals Brisbane on a two-year deal at the end of 2015, Taylor signed a big money extension in 2017 worth a reported $1 million-a-season.
That price tag has hung like a millstone around Taylor’s neck, and personal issues in 2019 which led to a leave of absence from the game had his future at the Titans in doubt.
The switch to No.6 last year led to Taylor cementing his spot in the Titans’ starting lineup and Holbrook says whether he is offered a new deal by the club is entirely in the 25-year-old’s hands.
“Just keep playing well that’s about all. There’s nothing I’m unhappy with,” Holbrook said.
“He’s just got to get out and get on with it.”
Taylor is still on the road to recovery after having off-season surgery on both hips and a wrist but Holbrook is confident he will be back to full fitness before next month’s trial against the Warriors in Lismore.
“He did well to finish the season the way he did, consider he was in a fair bit of pain in both those areas,” Holbrook said.
“It’s good to get him back on the field for a fair bit of the skill stuff now.
“He finished the year great. I thought he played OK all year.
“We weren’t playing good as a team early in the year and he really found his sort of part and involvement in the side as the year went on and did a great job.
“I just want that to continue this year.”