Paul Green has already announced who he wants to replace Jonathan Thurston when he retires. His choice is interesting...........
"THE Titans are facing a battle to retain Kane Elgey, with the Cowboys eyeing the youngster as a playmaking successor to Johnathan Thurston.
North Queensland coach Paul Green revealed on Thursday Elgey was among a number of options in his succession plan to replace Thurston.
The Cowboys will get a first-hand glimpse of Elgey when the former Australian Schoolboys star confronts Thurston Saturday night at Cbus Super Stadium.
Four-time Dally M winner Thurston has not ruled out extending his career until 2019, but the Cowboys are bracing for Thurston to retire at the end of next season.
That is when Elgey comes off contract at the Titans, giving the Cowboys the opportunity to make a formal play for the Gold Coast junior.
Green is weighing up a number of playmaking permutations, including promoting young talent from within the club, and said he was monitoring Elgey’s progress.
“JT is getting closer to the end,” Green said. “We need to have a serious look at whether we look to promote from within or whether we go to the market to buy someone.
“If you look at the market, Kane Elgey is off contract at the same time (as Thurston’s planned retirement), so that would work in well.
“Elgey is a guy we would have a look at. He will be one of several young halves we could look at, I suppose.
“He has a left-foot kick, which is good, but we have Lachlan Coote who can play that role for us already.
“If we promote from within, we’re not going to find a guy that is going to fill JT’s boots straight away. Well, we won’t fill his boots regardless of what we do, but it’s probably a longer-term strategy to promote from within.
“Kyle Laybutt is at our club and Jake Clifford is in the under-20s. We have a few guys in our system who are coming through, so I’ll be watching how they develop in the next 12 months.’’
Elgey, 23, has a decade of NRL in front of him and could forge a handy scrumbase alliance with Cowboys pivot Michael Morgan, who plays on the right side."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...r/news-story/62d18d96d532a7ccab756c9f91d6f66c
