Ricky Stuart and the Canberra Raiders lead the hunt to pry David Fifita away from the Gold Coast Titans after the Queensland club fell foul of a clause in the game-breaker’s contract that has immediately made him a free agent for 2024 onwards.
In what could go down as an all-time blunder, the two best forwards at the Titans both had clauses boiled into the rich deals that meant they instantly became free agents for 2024 and into the future if Justin Holbrook was suddenly ousted from his head coach role on the Gold Coast—which he was less than two weeks ago.
Of course, this has fired nearly half the NRL’s clubs into action.
That includes the Raiders, who spoke with Fifita as recently as January about coming to the nation’s capital. In that meeting, before he re-signed with the Gold Coast, the 23-year-old was offered $2.7 million over three years to join the green machine.
This time around, the offer is a little less coin, a little more time; Raiders powerbrokers have already tabled an $800,000-a-year offer that will stretch from 2024 to 2028. Fifita, who is letting his agent sound any early poaching raids now that the clause in question has been activated, would be 27 by the time the contract came to an end. He is currently in the Queensland Maroons camp ahead of State of Origin Game III and hasn’t heard any specifics about negotiations.
Part of the reason Canberra have the kitty to play with in this monster bid is their own recent loss in the former of their outgoing star five-eight, Jack Wighton. With Wighton heading to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, there’s a smidge over $1 million more to use for 2024 signings and Ricky Stuart intends to use it.
“I have spoken to David’s manager this morning to put forward our offer,” Stuart said.
The Canberra coach added: “I was informed he is now a free agent and we’re obviously very keen, just like last time. He is a tremendous player who would be a perfect fit at this club.”
