The Walker brothers, Ben and Shane, have thrown their hat in the ring to coach the Titans who are languishing on the bottom of the NRL ladder under Des Hasler.
Hasler responded to what he labelled as “unfounded” reports surrounding his future following another loss to the Broncos in Round 19, declaring he wants to coach on in 2026.
“I don’t take any notice of reports because I know what we’ve got here and I know what’s been said, so the speculation is unfounded,” he said.
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Speaking on SEN, The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis reported Hasler was set to retire at the season’s end, having reached a “mutual understanding” with Gold Coast powerbrokers.
“The Titans can call it whatever they like but Des won’t be the coach next season. It’s been an absolute failure,” he said.
Josh Hannay has emerged as one potential candidate to take over next season, but the Walker brothers now confirmed they will apply for the Titans head coaching role should Hasler depart.
Code Sports are reporting Shane Walker has already contacted Gold Coast chairman Dennis Watt to confirm their interest.
Ben Walker, meanwhile, is the father of Roosters gun Sam Walker, and he reportedly harbours a desire to coach his son in the NRL in the future.
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The Walker brothers previously interviewed for the Titans’ head coaching role in 2017 before Garth Brennan was eventually hired.
Since then, Sam Walker has become one of the competition’s best playmakers and is currently contracted until the end of the 2027 season with the Tricolours.
However, Ivan Cleary previously left the Tigers to reunite with his son Nathan at the Panthers, however Ben Walker gave no guarantees his son would join him on the Gold Coast.
“Look, Sam loves the Roosters and I can’t guarantee he leaves there if we got the Titans job,” Ben Walker said.
“But I’ve always been envious watching Nathan and Ivan Cleary winning premierships together at Penrith and I’d love the idea of me and Sammy doing that at the Titans, for example.
“Sam is a winner. He’s already in the top echelon of halfbacks and unless he falls off a cliff form wise, I believe he will be one of the greatest halfbacks we’ve ever seen.
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“He will win premierships, whether that’s with the Roosters or the Titans. But if I’m at the Titans, Sam Walker is a halfback I’d be trying to get.”
The Walker brothers won a premiership with the Ipswich Jets in 2015 but left the Queensland Cup outfit in 2019, having spent six years away from rugby league coaching.
After taking over the Jets in 2011, the duo introduced a short dropout tactic which is now widely used by NRL clubs, with their teams tactics being considered risky.
However, the pair are confident they can find success should they be handed a chance with the Titans.
“I am absolutely certain we would win a premiership at the Titans,” Ben Walker said.
“I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve had approach me saying, ‘We hope you guys are considered for the Titans job, please put your hand up for it’.
“It’s a job Shane and I have always wanted because there’s a lot of similarities between the Titans and the Ipswich Jets, who had the lowest budget in the league when we won the Queensland Cup.
“We’d do the Titans job tomorrow and I can guarantee we would have success.”
