The St George Illawarra Dragons are reportedly preparing an enormous bid in the hopes of securing Gold Coast Titans wrecking ball David Fifita.
With the hulking game-breaker eligible to accept offers for 2024 come November 1, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Red V are positioning themselves to take advantage of an apparent lack of urgency from the Gold Coast club around one of their most talented players.
It’s been a challenging season for the game’s most highly-paid big man, with form and injury issues during the club’s disastrous campaign that ended with a 13th-place finish resulting in a noticeable drop in his usually astounding numbers.
But the Dragons aren’t deterred, believing they can help Fifita rediscover the form that made him the game’s hottest property just 12 months ago – and they reckon they have a card up their sleeve in terms of incentives, with Fifita already having a connection to the club.
The Titans’ back-rower is currently dating Dragons NRLW star Shaylee Bent, and the club believes that this could help their pitch. The Newcastle Knights have a similar arrangement at the moment, securing Adam Elliott after also signing his partner and NRLW headliner Millie Boyle.
The Dragons have previously employed a strategy of signing experienced big men on bargain deals and being subsidised by other clubs, but the arrival of Fifita would be on par with the historic arrival of Ben Hunt back in 2018.
It’s believed that a high-profile signing like Fifita may help the club in their contract negotiations with Hunt. Though the Dragons are offering Hunt a two-year contract extension, there are believed to be a number of other clubs interested in his services, including the Bulldogs and the Dolphins – as well as the Titans.
The club has advised that they’re expecting clarity regarding Hunt’s contract status within the next two weeks. Though the club still sees him as a priority, should Hunt opt to look elsewhere the Red V would have significantly more salary cap space to use in their bid for Fifita.
