I knew it wouldn't take long:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...mb-aboard-if-titans-drown-20120331-1w53w.html
Bears ready to climb aboard if Titans drown
Adrian Proszenko
April 1, 2012
THE Central Coast Bears claim they'll be ready to fill the breach should the financial crisis engulfing Gold Coast force them out of the NRL.
The future of the cash-strapped Titans, the team that pipped the Bears for a licence when the game last expanded, are in danger of becoming the fifth franchise to fold on the Gold Coast. While the full extent of their troubles is unclear, it's believed the club is at least $25 million in the red.
Bears boss Greg Florimo claimed his franchise could fill the void at short notice should the Titans suffer the same fate as the Giants, Seagulls, Gladiators and Chargers. ''We're desperate for this licence and to be included in the competition,'' Florimo said. ''If the Gold Coast were to fall over, and that's not our favourite scenario, we would jump at the chance. If the licence became available at short notice, we'll certainly do our very best to be ready. However, we would much prefer to get in on our merits and the business case we put forward to the NRL.''
Two consortiums have already expressed interest in taking over the Titans, although history and a difficult economic climate are against a team succeeding on the holiday strip. The Bears already have a home stadium in Bluetongue, a base on the central coast and a coach-in-waiting in David Fairleigh. However, the biggest hurdle would be assembling a competitive roster should an opportunity arise sooner than originally predicted.
''Obviously there would be some players on the market if the Gold Coast were to fall through,'' Florimo said. ''But it would mean we'd still field an understrength team, which would not be an ideal situation, as we want to be successful from day one.''
There are three franchises from Queensland alone battling it out with the Bears for entry into an expanded competition. Brisbane Bombers, Ipswich Jets and Central Queensland are all mounting their cases, but the bosses of their bids can't see the Australian Rugby League Commission giving up on the Gold Coast. Asked if he could envisage an opportunity to fill a void left by the Titans, Bombers general manager Craig Davison said: ''It's an easy answer - they will not fall over.
''Even if it did fall over, other people would fill the void, not me. We believe we have a very good bid for the Bombers in Brisbane.
''There are two bidders now looking to take over the Titans - there will be no shortage of takers, when [Michael] Searle falls over.''
Likewise, Jets chairman Steven Johnson couldn't foresee the game abandoning the Gold Coast. ''The Gold Coast market is a tough one but there's a large number of juniors up there that need to be looked after by the game or they will be lost,'' he said.
''If we give up the Gold Coast, we'd become a second-tier competition for the AFL. I can't see [the commission] making that decision.''
John Singleton, the multimillionaire ad guru who promised to underwrite the previous Bears bid, reiterated the need for a team on the central coast. ''The next time there is a geographic change to the teams, the central coast is going to look very good,'' Singleton said.
''But when that is, Christ knows. You would think [it will happen], but hopefully not done overnight, because you need time. But being the central coast, you wouldn't need long to get it up and running. You'd be on the field in a year and competitive in two or three. And forever.''
Change the name to Central Coast Vultures.