http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...papua-new-guinea/story-e6frep5x-1226324068064
GOLD Coast boss Michael Searle is again under fire after a confidential document detailed his plan to move up to three Titans games to Papua New Guinea as part of a doomed $20 million sell-off package - despite assurances to the contrary.
The discovery came as a Gold Coast consortium, backed by former Melbourne and Test five-eighth Scott Hill, secured $15 million in rescue funding if an external audit prompts the NRL to revoke the Titans' licence.
The Courier-Mail has obtained a 10-page proposal, formulated by Searle, which outlines the key components of the planned partial sale of the Titans group to the PNG Government.
On November 17, Searle dismissed newspaper reports of a sell-off deal as "disrespectful and repugnant" and assured Titans fans he had no plans to relocate Gold Coast games to Papua New Guinea.
But under a Heads of Agreement document, sent to PNG's NRL bid team via its Brisbane-based legal firm, Searle's proposal to shift Titans games to Port Moresby is made patently clear.
It can be revealed:
- Under section 8.2 of the document, relating to Competition Games, the Titans planned to move up to three home games from Skilled Park to Papua New Guinea.
- Searle also made an extraordinary vow to negotiate with other NRL clubs to host matches against the Titans in Port Moresby, pending approval from the Australian Rugby League Commission and suitable stadium and accommodation facilities.
- An eight-man board would be implemented.
- Searle committed to one pre-season Titans game in PNG, starting in 2013.
- Searle proposed the Titans group buys out the foreign investment if PNG is eventually handed its own NRL licence.
The sell-off package was seen as the multimillion-dollar deal that would secure the future of the cash-strapped Titans. It collapsed last month when PNG government ministers learnt the NRL had sent in external accountants, who discovered Gold Coast group's crippling debts had blown out to at least $25 million.
The document was read by PNG officials just months after Searle said publicly: "The inference that we would sell is disrespectful and repugnant. There are a number of things that have been put on the table but the reality is the club isn't being sold and we're not relocating games."
North Queensland boss Peter Jourdain said last night he was against Cowboys home games being played in PNG.
"We'd be reluctant to take any of our games out of Townsville we wouldn't support our home games being moved to PNG," he said.
The NRL is continuing its probe of the Gold Coast club, with former Titans chairman Paul Broughton meeting with ARLC boss David Gallop last week to discuss his resignation.
Gallop said last night Titans' woes would not be an agenda item at today's chief executives' conference, which the besieged Searle is expected to attend.
As the NRL awaits a final report from auditors, Hill said a consortium of Gold Coast businessmen had mechanisms in place to take over the Titans immediately should a new administration be required.
"I'm pretty confident we could hit the ground running," Hill said last night. "It would take only a few phone calls and we could put some things in place that we feel would take the Titans forward."
"Our consortium has contacted David Gallop to let him know we are serious with our interest. If the opportunity comes, we want to be here for the Gold Coast people and provide them with a successful team on and off the field."
"Funding is obviously a key part of our discussion and set-up and we have the funds in place. Finance would not be an issue."
How could you possibly trust anything Searle has to say in the future?
