The Wests Tigers have signed forward Chris McQueen on a three-year deal beginning in 2018 and concluding in 2023, as the Gold Coast Titans will see a player going through the motions for the rest of the season, joining many clubs in a similar pickle due to the NRL’s bizarre policy of permitting in-season player negotiations.
He will link up with new Tigers Coach Ivan Cleary in 2018, assuming we are not being presumptuous regarding Cleary’s location next season.
Speculation put McQueen’s deal at around $400,000 per season, which seems like a respectable bargain for a player who represented Queensland in Origin play.
McQueen, however, is already 30, old by some rugby standards, brings a wealth of experience to the equation, including a role on the Rabbitohs’ premiership side in 2014.
He was a consistent presence for the Titans last season, appearing in all 25 games, so that issue relating to his age and the time on his clock would appear to be moot.
Whilst we are prone to, and generally more than happy to proselytise, two significant aspects McQueen can bring to the table is his presence in the locker room as a stabilizing factor and his ability to mentor younger players on the nuances of the game.
