The Gold Coast Titans' battle to play fullback is set to claim its first contract victim, with Jaylan de Groot reportedly weighing up his future.
The Titans have a major logjam for the number one jumper.
All of AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell and Keano Kini are contracted long-term at the club and fighting for the number one jumper.
A dearth of talent in the halves could leave either Brimson or Campbell in the number six, while Brimson is also a chance at playing in the centres, although the last experiment moving there backfired with poor performances characterising the experiment.
Off-contract at the end of 2015, De Groot, who can play both fullback and on the wing, has been pushing for more first-grade opportunities in recent times, but has only had one go to date at the back.
Despite his Queensland Cup form, it's likely De Groot won't hang around at the Titans to play that level, and his manager Tas Bartlett has been quoted by Wide World of Sports The Mole saying that the club want him to play centre, with a decision to be made on his future during the second half of the coming year.
"It's a tough situation for the kid because he has played fullback all his life and has been in great form there in the Queensland Cup," Bartlett told the publication.
"He got one crack last year and made the most of it against Newcastle so he knows he can handle the NRL. But realistically he won't get many chances at fullback at the Titans and they want him to play centre.
"He is off-contract at the end of this season but we aren't talking to other clubs yet.
"We will see his things pan out in the first half of the year before making any decision on his future - but if he went on to the open market, a heap of clubs would be chasing Jaylan, I am certain of that."
Kini is likely to have first crack in the number one jumper this year, with plenty of questions over the rest of the Titans' backline remaining for coach Des Hasler as pre-season trials begin.
