The Gold Coast Titans have today confirmed the signing of former Warriors centre Konrad Hurrell.
Hurrell was yesterday released by the Warriors from the last two and a half years of his contract - understood to be in the vicinity of $500,000 per season - following weeks of negotiations.
The Titans last night confirmed they were in talks with Hurrell's management and today announced he will join the club immediately after agreeing to terms on a deal until the end of 2017.
"It's great news for this club," Titans coach Neil Henry said in a statement on the club's website.
"He will add depth to our outside backs which has suffered with the long-term injuries to David Mead and John Olive.
"At 24 he has his best football ahead of him and I look forward to him developing further on the Gold Coast."
Part of the release agreement with the Warriors is that Hurrell will not be selected to play in the round 17 clash between the Warriors and Titans this season. However, Hurrell and the Warriors could potentially face off when the two sides meet again just five weeks later in a return clash at Cbus Super Stadium in round 22.
Hurrell's future at the Warriors had been under scrutiny all season and in March the 24-year-old was first linked with a move to the Titans. Several other NRL and UK Super League clubs had expressed interest in signing the Tongan international, and he also attracted offers from local and foreign rugby clubs.
Hurrell debuted for the Warriors in 2012, scoring 41 tries in 71 NRL appearances, but this season found himself on the outer with club management after one too many off-field indiscretions.
He was unable to win a starting spot ahead of first choice centres Solomone Kata and Blake Ayshford and was low in the pecking order of back-up contenders. He made just four appearances off the bench and last featured in the round six defeat to Manly on April 3.
As first revealed by The Herald on Sunday 12 days ago, the already strained relations between Hurrell and the Warriors reached breaking point in the wake of the recent prescription pills and energy drinks scandal.
It was the last straw for the club, who had shown great patience when he turned up to last year's pre-season training out of shape, after previously finding himself embroiled in social media scandals and other late-night indiscretions.
Hurrell is understood to have been unhappy at being punished for his involvement in accompanying five team-mates on an unsanctioned late night out in Auckland.
Hurrell was the only player who did not admit to taking prescription pills and energy drinks but, along with the rest of the group, was stood down from test selection heading into last week's internationals. He was then embroiled in further controversy after sending an ill-timed retweet that added fuel to speculation coach Andrew McFadden had lost the support of his players.
Those incidents ultimately sealed his fate with the club he first joined in 2011 after being scouted the previous year while playing First XV rugby for Auckland Grammar.
The bright lights of Australia's notorious holiday strip will now be home to Hurrell as he looks to resurrect his career and fulfill his undoubted playing potential.