Dragons enter the race for Titans’ David Fifita

Penrith Panthers, St. George Illawarra Dragons, and Sydney Roosters  are all expected to make huge bids for Fifita before the 2025 NRL season. 

David Fifita is one of the most wanted men in the NRL right now. Reports early this week revealed that Penrith Panthers have offered him a three-year contract worth $850,000 a season. Sydney Roosters have offered three years at $825,000 per season. Now, St. George Illawarra Dragons have entered the race.  

Fifita contract decision looming 

While there are many clubs who would like to have David Fifita in their squads right now, he is a Gold Coast Titans player, and will be through the end of the 2024 NRL season. He could even stay through the 2025 season if he decides to trigger his one-year contract extension with Titans.  
 
Fifita has until this Thursday at 8pm, the start of this season’s Round 10 matches, to trigger his extension. His current deal, which he signed just last season, was seen as a massive coup for Titans.  
 
The Gold Coast club convinced their captain to stay on a new three-year deal by giving him an option to leave after the first two years of the new deal. This is a relative rarity in the NRL, but it could be one that works out for Fifita.  
 
Fifita’s current contract is reportedly worth $1,000,000 a season, so anywhere he goes will likely be a pay cut. However, leaving now lets him secure a more long-term deal while he’s still in his prime, which could see him earn more overall. It’s expected that Fifita will not trigger his contract extension.  

Panthers and Roosters’ Fifita offers 

Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters are two clubs who have already made long-term contract offers to Fifita.  
 
A number of Panthers’ stars, including Jarome Luai, are set to leave Penrith this fall, so the reigning Premiers have quite a bit of payroll to play with heading into 2025. Reportedly, Panthers are willing to spend big on Fifita. The back-rower flew to Sydney to meet with Ivan Cleary on Sunday, then the club offered him a three-year contract worth $850,000 a season.  
 
When asked about this meeting on Monday, Cleary said “Respectfully, I’m not going to comment on recruitment today,” before lamenting the fact he is asked so much about player moves. “It’s a very sensitive issue, all recruitment, and it affects a lot of people, clubs, players, agents, families, and I think we’ve already filled our quota for recruitment stories this year,” Cleary said. 
 
Roosters have offered Fifita a longer deal than Panthers. SMH reports that Sydney presented a four-year offer worth $825,000 a season.

Dragons enter the race 

The latest team to enter the fray for Fifita’s signature is St. George Illawarra Dragons. The Red V have yet to make an offer, but some reports claim they could be ready to blow the prior two deals out of the water.  
 
Dragons offered in excess of $850,000 a year to keep Zac Lomax at the club past this season. The 24-year-old is expected to leave the club, meaning Shane Flanagan and Dragons will have at least that much to spend on Fifita.

Wherever Fifita joins next season, he will be a Gold Coast player for the rest of this one. The Titans’ poor season means he’s unlikely to stay beyond then though. Gold Coast have a chance to turn things around this weekend. Titans take on North Queensland Cowboys this Sunday at 4:05pm at the Cbus Super Stadium.