Titanic raid: Dragons to turn deadwood money into Fifita signing

3 years ago - Sportingbase

St George Illawarra is hoping to turn the cash they pocket from shedding several aging players into one big signing, with Gold Coast Titans game breaker David Fifita on the club’s shopping list for the 2024 NRL season.

The Dragons are confident they can lure Fifita to the club once talks begin after the November 1 deadline. The club’s biggest selling point, The Sporting Base understands, is a significant signing kitty—one Red V bosses believe will blow rivals out of the water.

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The war chest, which is available ahead of 2024, comes with several veterans leaving.

This includes Aaron Woods, George Burgress, Josh McGuire, and hooker Andrew McCullough, as well as Tariq Sims, all of whom are leaving the club either between the 2022 and 2023 seasons or by the end of the next NRL campaign. Jacob Liddle, who recently joined the club, is also only inked in for a single season and may be shown the door after one year.

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The cash pile puts the Dragons in the lead for Fifita’s signature. The 22-year-old, regarded by many as one of the best forwards in rugby league, has become unsettled at the Titans and is reportedly looking for new pastures after his deal ends.

Right now he’s signed until the end of 2023 and earning around $1,000,000 a year.

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St George Illawarra are looking to shave a little off that earnings package and want to get Fifita into the Red V on around $700,000 if they can. In all likelihood, Fifita’s price may be a bit north of that figure.

Not every NRL club will battle the Dragons for Fifita though. The Gold Coast second-rower hasn’t covered himself in glory in recent history and struggled to really find his rhythm as the Titans slumped to a 10–14 record last season and a 6–18 run this time around.

His mega-sized pay limited what the Titans could do elsewhere in their roster for little gain.

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The Dragons are convinced they will be able to turn the 22-year-old’s fortunes around and get him playing the footy that earned him that $1,000,000 deal in the first place, whether that’s with current helmsman Anthony Griffin or his replacement heading into the 2024 NRL season. Fifita’s signing would come as the Red V come into that pile of cash to negotiate with.

Fifita, already a five-game Queensland representative and four-game Indigenous star, would be a glittering centerpiece the Dragons could combine with Ben Hunt—understood to be re-signing for two more years to 2025—and club youngsters like Junior Amone (signed to 2024) and eventually rising halfback star Bud Sullivan.

The club wants to bring former St George Illawarra junior Reece Robson back too and may combine him with Queensland Cup hooker Haele Finau, who they have also been watching closely.

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