Oct 19th, 2017

Oct 19th, 2017

Many have labelled his task as the hardest job in the NRL but Gold Coast NRL coach Garth Brennan seems to think he's already had tougher.

The man chosen to replace Neil Henry has said his 18 years in the police service equipped him with the man-management skills to handle Jarryd Hayne and turn the Titans' fortunes around.

Hayne's fractured relationship with Henry contributed to the coach's demise and the club's disastrous late-season form.

But the rookie head coach said his experience as a policeman would help earn him the respect a squad he views as competitive, and turn them into winners.

"It has made me the person I am, made me the coach I am," Brennan, who was unveiled by the club on a three-year deal on Thursday, said.

"(Being a policeman is) probably the toughest job you'll do; I've had life experiences and it helps me be that man manager because it helps you see where people come from.

"So the first thing is to get to know individual players, Jarryd's one of them.

"Footballers can smell a fraud very quickly and I think I have no problems with that."

Brennan also boasts a relationship with Ashley Taylor, the 45-year-old revealing the halfback sought him out 18 months ago to act as a mentor.

Brennan is confident of retaining the in-demand playmaker, who is off contract beyond 2018 and permitted to openly negotiate at the end of this month.

"I know Ash well and I think he's a real talent, he's a part of what's going to help us go forward and build a club around and I'm fairly confident that he's not far away from committing," Brennan said.

The ex-Penrith NSW Cup coach is highly regarded in rugby league circles and is credited with bringing through the Panthers' current batch of young stars.

The drawn-out search for a coach included interviews with Laurie Daley and Michael Maguire, as well as Broncos assistant Jason Demetriou.

"That reputation that he's built and the hunger he has for success is the hunger we found infectious and impressive," Titans boss Graham Annesley said of Brennan.

Cutting his coaching teeth with Newcastle and Penrith, Brennan said the similarities on the Gold Coast had drawn him to the job.

He wants to focus on internal player development and is mindful of protecting the club's reputation.

"Hurting the Gold Coast brand, that's a non-negotiable and when I'll come down hard on you," he said.

"I am a development coach; that's where I get my enjoyment seeing these young kids represent their home club.

"It means more to the player when they make their debut for the area they grew up in."

Pre-season begins next month, with Brennan unable to confirm if co-assistant coaches Terry Matterson and Craig Hodges would retain their posts.

©AAP2017