Tino Fa'asuamaleaui last week signed the richest deal in rugby league history, but it has now been revealed that he may not remain on the Gold Coast for a decade after all.
Fa'asuamaleaui and fellow Queensland State of Origin representative forward David Fifita both became free agents earlier this year with clauses in their contracts relating to former coach Justin Holbrook.
When he was axed by the Gold Coast outfit, the pair had three months to sort their futures out.
Fa'asuamaleaui would then have become a free agent again for the end of the 2024 season, with his former contract having options built in for the final two years, 2025 and 2026.
But the Titans blew all speculation out of the water, re-signing Fa'asuamaleaui on a ten-year, $12 million deal representing the richest contract in rugby league history that would tie him to the Titans until the end of 2033 ahead of incoming coach Des Hasler's arrival in November.
But News Corp is now reporting in fact that Fa'asuamaleaui's deal is only guaranteed for the first three years, with an option after that.
It's believed Fa'asuamaleaui, much like Payne Haas who re-signed with the Brisbane Broncos for the next three seasons earlier this week, wants to play for a contender, and could well elect to exit the Titans if Hasler can't turn the club around in the coming two years.
Fa'asuamaleaui, if the option timeline is correct, would be able to freely negotiate with rival clubs for the 2027 season, making him a free agent from November 1, 2025.
It's believed both Hasler and Fa'asuamaleaui only opted to stay after meeting with Hasler however, and that the experienced two-time premiership-winning coach sold a vision for the club to the duo.
However, Hasler will have his work cut out at Robina, with the Titans having 12 players now locked in on deals until at least the end of 2026, meaning he must get the best out of the current squad and won't have a great amount of wiggle room.
If the star forward and club captain continues the form which has made him one of the game's best middle forwards at the age of just 23 then there is little doubt multiple clubs would come to the party if he was on the open market, with the Gold Coast fending off as many as six clubs in the recent round of negotiations.
