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GOLD Coast were busted making a clandestine raid on NRL stars yesterday - and Ryan Tandy was the wild card in a bizarre chain of events at an exclusive Sydney hotel.
The Daily Telegraph sprung the Titans attempting to poach Queensland representative star Nate Myles away from the Sydney Roosters and former Souths centre Beau Champion from Melbourne.
Myles and his manager Gavin Orr disappeared into the underground carpark of Sydney's Sheraton on the Park on their way to a meeting with Titans chief executive Michael Searle.
Myles and Orr were filthy at being photographed by The Daily Telegraph.
An hour earlier, Champion's manager Sam Ayoub was at the exclusive Elizabeth St hotel to hold talks with Searle.
Strangely though, Ayoub turned up at the hotel with Ryan Tandy, the former Canterbury prop at the centre of an ugly betting scandal.
Searle claimed he was unaware the notorious league star was in the hotel but our source watched the Gold Coast boss sit down in the hotel foyer with Tandy and Ayoub.
Searle later admitted an interest in Myles, who is off contract after next season, and Champion, who is on a one-year deal with Melbourne. But he denied his club would sign Tandy.
Searle refused to talk about Tandy but he did discuss Myles.
"Nate is a Queenslander," Searle said. "We just asked about how he was mapping out his future over the ensuing months and to ask him what he was thinking after coming off contract at the end of 2012.
"When marquee players come off contract, you have an obligation to meet with them. There was no offer, we just wanted to see what he was thinking.
"We have had negotiations with Nate each time he has come off contract. He has previously decided to stay in Sydney. We will see what pans out."
Should Champion head to the Gold Coast, he would form a lethal centre combination with new Titans centre Jamal Idris. Pressed on Champion, Searle said: "We talked to him about the possibility of joining us."
Exclusive by Dean Ritchie From: The Daily Telegraph April 15, 2011 12:00AM
The Daily Telegraph sprung the Titans attempting to poach Queensland representative star Nate Myles away from the Sydney Roosters and former Souths centre Beau Champion from Melbourne.
Myles and his manager Gavin Orr disappeared into the underground carpark of Sydney's Sheraton on the Park on their way to a meeting with Titans chief executive Michael Searle.
Myles and Orr were filthy at being photographed by The Daily Telegraph.
An hour earlier, Champion's manager Sam Ayoub was at the exclusive Elizabeth St hotel to hold talks with Searle.
Strangely though, Ayoub turned up at the hotel with Ryan Tandy, the former Canterbury prop at the centre of an ugly betting scandal.
Searle claimed he was unaware the notorious league star was in the hotel but our source watched the Gold Coast boss sit down in the hotel foyer with Tandy and Ayoub.
Searle later admitted an interest in Myles, who is off contract after next season, and Champion, who is on a one-year deal with Melbourne. But he denied his club would sign Tandy.
Searle refused to talk about Tandy but he did discuss Myles.
"Nate is a Queenslander," Searle said. "We just asked about how he was mapping out his future over the ensuing months and to ask him what he was thinking after coming off contract at the end of 2012.
"When marquee players come off contract, you have an obligation to meet with them. There was no offer, we just wanted to see what he was thinking.
"We have had negotiations with Nate each time he has come off contract. He has previously decided to stay in Sydney. We will see what pans out."
Should Champion head to the Gold Coast, he would form a lethal centre combination with new Titans centre Jamal Idris. Pressed on Champion, Searle said: "We talked to him about the possibility of joining us."
Exclusive by Dean Ritchie From: The Daily Telegraph April 15, 2011 12:00AM