Monday Buzz: Secret contract clauses reveal Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita are free agents

These are the secret contract clauses that could rock Gold Coast Titans to the core following Justin Holbrook’s shock dismissal from the club.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita are now free agents. Picture: Supplied

Gold Coast Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell can keep a secret better than anyone in rugby league.

Somehow he managed to sack Justin Holbrook and sign Des Hasler without a word being leaked.

He’s also been sitting on another big story that we can now reveal.

The club’s two best players – barnstorming forwards Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita – are both free agents as a result of Holbrook’s dismissal.

The Maroons Origin stars both had coach clauses in their multimillion-dollar deals – that the contracts would be null and void if Holbrook was sacked.

It’s not just an indication of how highly both players regarded Holbrook but a huge story that will potentially blow the player market wide open.

Will Wayne Bennett and the cashed-up Dolphins have a crack at signing both of them?

Would Shane Flanagan release both Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax to try to snare the two Maroons stars in a multimillion-dollar package deal at St George Illawarra.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita are now free agents. Picture: Supplied

Will Ricky Stuart at the Raiders have another try for Fifita, knowing the giant edge forward only stayed on the Gold Coast because of his Holbrook relationship when he was last off contract.

Also, Holbrook now becomes an attractive option for any NRL club looking for a new head coach.

Would another club look at him to replace their coach, knowing that he is possibly in a position to deliver Fifita and Fa’asuamaleaui?

Anything can happen now that both are free agents.

Sacked Titans coach Justin Holbrook. Picture: NRL Imagery

Obviously the revelations around the coach clauses become a huge problem for Hasler, who will start at the Titans in November, although he will try to have talks with them before then.

Both players are so vitally important in Hasler’s plans to turn the Titans into a genuine contender.

Fa’asuamaleaui has a contract until the end of next season with an option for the following two years while Fifita recently extended until the end of 2026.

Mitchell was reluctant to comment when we spoke to him over the weekend.

“All player contracts are confidential,” he said.

It is understood he has asked Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, a Titans consultant, to speak to the players.

Their managers are in no hurry to make a decision on their futures.

They want to avoid a Ben Hunt type media circus and wait until after State of Origin on Wednesday week at Accor Stadium before sitting down with the Titans.

The problem for the Titans is that a number of their best players, not just Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita, are disappointed about the manner in which Holbrook was sacked.

That they were just one win outside the top eight.

That they were slowly but steadily building towards the finals when the axe fell with no consultation with the leadership group.

Originally published as Monday Buzz: Secret contract clauses reveal Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita are free agents