An independent third party has reportedly made contact with the South Sydney Rabbitohs to gauge interest in the future of David Fifita.
The second-rower has endured the season from hell on the Gold Coast, only playing a handful of games.
That has come as a result of a persistent injury, and at one point, being dropped by coach Des Hasler.
While Hasler may not be in charge of the Titans next year as the club hurtles towards the wooden spoon – in what would be the first of Hasler’s career – Fifita is another not guaranteed to be at the Titans next year.
It’s understood the Gold Coast are keen on Fifita seeing out his contract through to the end of next year, but previous reports suggest the situation may be untenable.
No other club have the right to negotiate with Fifita until November 1 without the express permission of the Gold Coast, but News Corp is reporting a third party has now become involved to understand if there is any interest from Wayne Bennett and his recruitment staff to sign Fifita.
The Rabbitohs themselves will likely only narrowly avoid the wooden spoon this year after a disastrous, injury-riddled campaign.
South Sydney won’t act on the information until they are allowed to do so under NRL rules, and as such, it’s not clear if they have an appetite to sign Fifita, either for 2026 if he becomes available, or in 2027.
Their own salary cap position is a tricky one with plenty of top-end contracts led by those for Cameron Murray and Latrell Mitchell, while they are still balancing a number of plates, with Jye Gray‘s contract the most pressing to be upgraded and extended ahead of the Perth Bears entering the competition in 2027.
First mentions of Fifita being linked to the Rabbitohs were made about a fortnight ago.
The second-rower could well find himself leaving the Titans at the end of 2026 if not before, even if not for South Sydney.
It’s believed other Sydney-based clubs would be interested in his services, while the Perth Bears would almost certainly make a play as well, as they look to build a 30-man squad from scratch ahead of their entry into the NRL.
Fifita is currently on more than a million dollars per season at the Titans, and, combined with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who is also now seemingly set to test the open market from November 1, the club are paying more than $2 million – or about a sixth of their salary cap – on the two Origin-calibre forwards.