Penrith great Mark Geyer has endorsed Garth Brennan for the head-coaching vacancy at the Gold Coast, amid speculation the Titans will confirm his appointment on Thursday.
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Brennan is believed to have emerged atop a list of coaching candidates including sacked South Sydney coach Michael Maguire, Brisbane assistant Jason Demetriou and Ipswich's coaching brothers Shane and Ben Walker.
Brennan's credentials include winning the NSW Cup with Penrith in 2014 and the NSW Cup-NRL State Championship double this year after cutting his teeth as the club's under-20s coach in 2012-13.
The former Newcastle Wests and Waratah-Mayfield fullback, who still lives at Stockton, also coached the Knights into the National Youth Competition finals in 2011.
"If it is true, geez, that's a great result for the Titans because not only have they got a great coach, but they've got a great bloke," Geyer said on Triple M Sydney on Wednesday.
"He's got good intestinal fortitude. He's all about making the player better. He's not into politics. He doesn't like the shit in the game. He just gets straight into what's important and that's the players and their performances on the footy field.
"They need a bloke to go in and be a great mentor and also going to be firm, but fair."
Another premiership-winning ex-Panther, Martin Lang, wished Brennan luck and added that he is “going to need it”.
Lang said Brennan’s greatest challenge would be in managing enigmatic superstar Jarryd Hayne.
Hayne fell out with former Titans coach Neil Henry, who was subsequently sacked with a year to run on his contract.
“Everything I hear about him is very good,” Lang said of Brennan. "He's got a great knowledge, good relationship with the players.
"But at the end of the day it will come down to how he handles Jarryd Hayne.
"I know these NRL jobs are few and far between but that's a tough job to go into."
Lang reckoned there were worse ideas than for the Titans and Panthers to trade Hayne and Matt Moylan if Brennan got the green light.
Moylan reportedly fell out with recently re-signed Penrith coach Anthony Griffin, missing the NRL finals campaign this year.
"Maybe he should swap him for Moylan at Penrith so Hayne can go to Sydney where he is happy, I don't know," Lang said. "But as a first-time coach Garth will know everybody needs to be treated differently.
"In many ways you have to treat someone like Hayne like a thoroughbred racehorse.
"But you have to set standards and if they are broken you have to pull everyone in line whether they are paid $1.2 million a year or $80,000."
Lang said Hayne was just one dilemma Brennan would face at the Gold Coast.
A call on which consortium will buy the Titans off the NRL is not expected until November.
It is unclear whether Brennan would relinquish his role as New Zealand assistant coach at the World Cup job if he secures the Titans job.
Halfback Ash Taylor has also delayed contract extension talks until the Titans' future is clearer but he becomes a free agent on November 1.
Other Titans can't wait - prized utility Tyrone Roberts announced a surprise move to English Super League club Warrington from next season.
"There's the club ownership, player retention, re-signing Ash Taylor, Roberts has gone to England - it's a big call taking on the Titans job," Lang said.
