Josh Hannay‘s overhaul of the Titans has stepped up a notch, with Alofiana Khan-Pereira’s departure to the Warriors paving the way for a potential move for Dragons outcast, Lachlan Ilias. Gold Coast confirmed Khan-Pereira’s exit on Monday, and Warriors coach Andrew Webster says he’s excited to welcome the speedster to the club for 2026.
“Speed is one of the greatest commodities in rugby league and Lofi has no shortage of that,” Webster said after securing Khan-Pereira on a three-year deal. “We saw first-hand how damaging he is as a finisher when the Titans beat us in Robina last year. We love what he’ll bring to our club with both his ability and his character.”
Alofiana Khan-Pereira’s (R) departure from the Titans could pave the way for Gold Coast to move for Dragons discard, Lachlan Ilias (L).
Khan-Pereira has been a fan favourite at the Titans since debuting for the club in 2023. And earlier this year he became the equal-fastest player in NRL history to reach 50 tries after notching the milestone in just his 52nd game for the Gold Coast.
But the 23-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements for new Titans coach Hannay, who succeeds Des Hasler after the veteran mentor was sacked at the end of the season with one year left to run on his deal. Hannay also sanctioned the exit of rugby recruit Carter Gordon, who is set to join the Wallabies’ spring tour of Europe after Gold Coast secured a $100,000 payout to release the playmaker.
Hannay’s major clean-out at the Titans has also seen Reagan Campbell-Gillard released just one season into a three-year deal on the Gold Coast. The former representative prop agreed a deal last week to join the London Broncos in the English Super League from next season.
And another former Origin star could also be on the move, with David Fifita’s proposed switch to South Sydney awaiting clearance. Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has been open about wanting to bring Fifita to the club in 2026, but his $900,000 salary has complicated the move.
The Bunnies have freed up a large chunk of salary cap space with the release of English recruit Lewis Dodd, who was contracted for a further two years on around $650,000 per season. Even still, Bennett’s Bunnies will likely have to chip in a significant portion of Fifita’s monster salary to secure his move from the Titans.
Another Titans star could leave in swap deal for Lachlan Ilias
Hannay has also given Phillip Sami permission to explore his options elsewhere, and a swap deal involving Dragons discard Ilias remains a distinct possibility. The former South Sydney halfback found himself stuck in reserve grade at the Dragons in 2025, despite signing a two-year deal with the Red V from this year.
The Dragons and Titans are exploring a swap deal that would see Lachlan Ilias (L) and Phillip Sami (R) head in opposite directions. Pic: Getty
Ilias started 2025 as the Dragons’ first-choice halfback, but quickly found himself stuck behind Kyle Flanagan and Lyhkan King-Togia, who were coach Shane Flanagan’s preferred halves pairing. The Dragons have also signed playmaker Daniel Atkinson from the Sharks on a three-year deal from 2026, pushing Ilias even further down the pecking order.
Hannay reportedly sees Ilias as the successor to Kieran Foran at halfback for the Titans next season, following the Kiwi veteran’s recent retirement. With that in mind, a swap deal that would see Ilias join the Gold Coast and Sami move in the opposite direction would make a lot of sense for both clubs.
If Fifita and Sami both depart, it will leave the Titans with just 23 players signed on their 30-man roster for next season, giving Hannay plenty of room to work with as he goes about re-shaping the roster. Only nine Titans players are signed beyond the end of next year too, allowing the rookie coach to mould the squad in whatever way he sees fit.
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And with superstar skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui reaffirming his commitment to the Titans in recent days, it’s provided the rookie coach with an exciting foundation to build upon. Fa’asuamaleaui has player options in his 10-year, $12 million deal, leaving him free to hit the open market from November 1. But it’s understood that a recent discussion with Hannay has convinced Fa’asuamaleaui not to activate the first of his two get-out clauses after being impressed by the coach’s vision for the club.
with AAP