Fifita Gone

[Bansai Pipeline]

Shame. 850 a season was a pretty good deal for us. Probably why it fell through.

[Chook2]

Anyone who thinks Fifita would be embarrassed is kidding themselves.
What do athink he’ll stay in doors & not go out?
Fifita is cashed up & will be playing SOO over the next couple of months & wouldn’t give back flipping on the Roosters a second thought.
If anyone would be embarrassed it’s the Chooks.

Yes The chooks would be embarrassed

well Fifita couldn’t pick up the phone and hasn’t contacted anyone he got his management too call just before midnight and his management were blindsided and embarrassed
if this was the other way around and Fifita did this to us nick would have said no your gone like he did to Latrell not what the titans are doing
the titans can they really honestly feel great they had someone sign elsewhere for less money only for a week of desperation or pleading him to stay then he comes crawling back
the ceo for titans mentioned Fifita was happy with the season going / so 2 wins and 2nd last place on the ladder ffs

imagine next week in magic round when Fifita is walking past the roosters? Do you think he will be all jovial and happy to talk or try and look away? I’m sure he will get embarrassed at some point! Once his titans fans boo him again and he cops it from the chooks fans! Imagine if he walks past robbo or nick next week at Brisbane?

he has not lost respect from a lot of people, even titans fans and fans on none of the teams involved - in my eyes and other same as DCE and Moses like

Just remember it was he and his management who made contact and pushed to go to either the riff or chooks and made the first move

[ARD]

Bummer, he could’ve added a lot of threat to our attack. Would've been fun watching him in Roosters colours.

[Steggles]

So you are ok with Sitili getting $650K over the next few years at possibly the expense of one of our younger players?

One of the reasons for our roster is us not paying overs.

FFS

Sitili has been very good for us, but has had a string of tough injuries in the last two years. After yet another head knock earlier in the year, his form has been well down since his return, no question. He’s a quality player and he can get back to his best; you don’t just become crap overnight. Remember last year on return from an ACL…….he was killing it in the middle. Look at Angus, who has had his ups and downs; he’s riding the crest of a “form wave” right now and he’s now a must re-sign player. Look at Luke Keary; his form went backwards after an ACL and head knocks, but it’s returned big time over the last few weeks. Look at Teddy, who was dreadful for parts of last year; he’s bounced back. Manu was down much of last year; he came back.

In terms of us not paying overs, it could be argued that over the last two years there’s been a few in our squad that have been paid overs for the amount of output. Suaalii, Keary, Manu, Teddy, Brandon Smith to name a few. Funnily enough, most of them are playing great footy now. Also, I’m not sure I see too many young back rowers that we are shedding to retain Sitili.

My point is Sitili’s form will return and when it does, will people be questioning his salary? If he’s truly on $650k (which I doubt), well done to him and his management for outsmarting the Roosters.

[Headless Chook]

Our recruitment needs a serious looking at. Apparently we are now “ relieved “ that it has come to a head as we always held doubts over him changing his mind later down the track. OKAY IF WE HAVE DOUBTS OF OUR OWN WHY ARE WE CHASING THIS GUY?? Jesus Christ


Come on Roosters…

That's not how I read it. The way I interpreted the article was that he agreed to terms and then the Roosters heard he was having second thoughts, not that they knew he was having second thoughts when they signed him. I agree with them when they sat it's better that it turned iout this way then the club having to deal with an unhappy player this time next season/

[BTRD]

Great news. I was never a fan of this signing.

,Maybe also a bit of karma for Trent and Politis.

Knuckle down Roosters - we have a comp to win.

[DP1990]

I'm not sure.

This time last year he was playing like shit, had his drug issues and stated he wanted to try out union. On top that, he was (is) one of our highest paid and experienced players in the club.

His output was average. The club (as it should) looked at the bigger picture and realised we needed a strike edge forward.

Now he has strung together a few great games and has the demanded the club treats him as their biggest priority!

We lose Fifita and may end with Angus version 2023 next year and we struggle.


Sit still / Egan are just collateral damage unfortunately.

Don't disagree with any of those points. All valid !

[DP1990]

Let's all sign a petition to the NRL and get them to switch our game this magic round. Stuff the Sharks we can play them in Round 25 !


I WANT THE GOLD COAST TITANS ... ON SATURDAY ... AT SUNCORP !!!


We smash the shit out of David on the field (and then either Spencer or JWH handles him at full-time) ... Robbo punches on with Des outside the change rooms .... Holbrook dog shots Michael Monaghan with Tables, Ladders and Chairs WWE styles !

[Johnny73]

NRL

EXCLUSIVE

The inside story of how the Gold Coast Titans convinced David Fifita to reject the Roosters

In the early hours of Wednesday morning Roosters chairman Nick Politis rang coach Trent Robinson to reveal that the club’s marquee recruit had turned his back on the club.

Michael Carayannis

and

Brent Read


Roosters coach Trent Robinson woke on Wednesday morning to the news that his club had withdrawn their offer to their star signing David Fifita.

It was about 5.30am before club chairman Nick Politis was able to contact Robinson to tell him of the events that had unfolded on Tuesday night.

Politis was blindsided by a phone call from Fifita’s management around 10pm informing him there might be an issue with Fifita, who had agreed to a four-year deal with the Roosters last week.

Fifita had been wrestling with his decision and had a change of heart. He wanted to remain at the Titans and had been in talks with his club about doing so.

The Titans were within their rights to continue speaking to Fifita under the NRL’s 10-day cooling off period. Coach Des Hasler had been working overtime to convince Fifita to change his mind.

Hasler is one of the game’s quirkiest coaches, but he can also be one of its most convincing. Fifita’s teammates were also leaning on the star back rower.


WORD IS BOND

Captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is close to Fifita and on Wednesday, when news of his U-turn became public, he posted an image of the decision on social media accompanied by the song, ‘Word is bond’.

To some, it was a hint that Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita – close friends who had rejected the chance to leave the club last season when Canberra chased Fifita and the Storm tried to entice Fa’asuamaleaui to return to Melbourne – had a pre-existing arrangement to stay at the Titans together.

For the past week, it looked like that agreement had been broken. That changed dramatically on Tuesday night as Fifita shocked the rugby league world by deciding to take up his option at the Titans for next two seasons on a deal believed to be worth around $2 million, rejecting the Roosters’ $3.3 million the next four seasons.

FIFITA DROPS ‘GOOD AND BAD NEWS’

Politis had a sense of what was about to unfold on Tuesday night and even though he was unable to reach Robinson, he immediately withdrew the club’s offer to Fifita when he was told that the barnstorming back rower was having second thoughts.

The words of Fifita was still ringing in his ears from last week. When Fifita signed for the Roosters he told Politis that he was calling with ‘good and bad news’. The answer was the same to both bits of information - that he was now a Rooster.

Fifita had quickly developed cold feet. The Roosters knew that last thing they needed was for him to arrive at the club doubting his move. Politis decided it was better to cut the cord now than deal with an unhappy player during the course of next season – not giving Fifita a chance to change his mind again.

FIFITA YET TO CONTACT ROOSTERS

It is understood Fifita is yet to reach out to the Roosters to explain his decision. Instead, it was left to his management, who were understood to be as equally as surprised by their client’s decision, to relay the news to Politis.

Needless to say it came as a shock. Politis had already made plans to catch up with Fifita on Sunday with the Roosters and Titans Magic Round matches taking place on Saturday.

Fifita, his mum Gwen and Fifita’s partner Shaylee Bent had been invited to share a meal with Politis on Sunday. That is naturally off the table.

The Roosters had also made plans to sign Bent to their NRLW side with Bent having spoken with Roosters NRLW coach John Strange as recently as Monday regarding a potential positional switch from the forwards to the backs.

It is unclear if that deal will now go ahead with the Titans hopeful of keeping Bent.

Those close to Fifita have said the 24-year-old has been struggling since making the decision to leave the Titans. Yet even his teammates were caught off guard on Wednesday morning when news filtered through that he was staying.

Five-eighth Kieran Foran wasted no time posting an image of Fifita’s re-signing on social media accompanied by a love heart and the words: “That’s life.” He subsequently changed it and wrote: “Let’s get it brother.”

[Johnny73]

Word is bond? Bullshit. He's as trustworthy as a rabid dog.

[Steggles]

Let's all sign a petition to the NRL and get them to switch our game this magic round. Stuff the Sharks we can play them in Round 25 !


I WANT THE GOLD COAST TITANS ... ON SATURDAY ... AT SUNCORP !!!


We smash the shit out of David on the field (and then either Spencer or JWH handles him at full-time) ... Robbo punches on with Des outside the change rooms .... Holbrook dog shots Michael Monaghan with Tables, Ladders and Chairs WWE styles !

I initially read that as Holbrook dog shots Joel Monaghan…….I wouldn’t recommend it; it got poor Joel in a bit of strife!

[Swamptrout]

Bring on Round 25

[Schooner]

I always preferred Angus to Fifita. Angus at his best is top class for 80 minutes but Fifita doesnt make an impact for most of the game.

[Recky62]

WHAT ! Dave’s not coming to Bondi?….my heart is broken ….wait, nah , **** the big bone idle goof ……here’s to Ang staying and someone giving Sitili a hug while saying “my bad”

[Roosterfarian]

Do us supporters really give a shit about what our players earn? I know I don’t. I just want us to be successful with a great bunch of players; I’ll leave the management of the club and player salaries to those paid to do it.

If it means we lose another player because we overpay on someone that doesnt deliver on the field, then the answer is yes I give a shit mun.