NRL 2021: Broncos chairman Karl Morris slams claims David Fifita quit Brisbane because of the club’s culture

Broncos chairman Karl Morris has slammed claims $3.5m man David Fifita quit the club because of its culture, insisting the Origin star joined the Titans purely for money.

Titans star David Fifita. Picture: Jason O'Brien

Brisbane chairman Karl Morris has slammed claims David Fifita quit the Broncos because of the club’s culture, insisting Gold Coast’s $1.2-million man defected purely for money.

Fifita will make his first appearance against the Broncos as a Titans player in Friday night’s mouth-watering derby at Cbus Super Stadium.

The Maroons Origin star shocked the Broncos last year when he walked out on the club to join southeast Queensland rivals Gold Coast on a three-year deal worth $3.5 million.

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David Fifita made his debut for the Titans against the Warriors last weekend. Picture: Getty Images

The Broncos were anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder and headed for the club’s first wooden spoon when Fifita committed to the Titans last July.

His defection ended a near year-long contract circus, in which Fifita changed his mind a number of times towards the end of negotiations as the Titans blew Brisbane out of the water with a club record deal.

Fifita, 21, was understood to be unhappy about the leaking of negotiation information at the time while the Broncos were engulfed by controversy in the lead-up to coach Anthony Seibold’s sacking, making for an unpleasant environment.

There have been suggestions the Broncos offered Fifita upwards of $900,000-a-season to remain at Red Hill, prompting the Titans to go well beyond $1 million-a-year with their offer.

Morris said the Broncos could not match the Titans’ offer and Fifita’s move was not about the state of the club.

“People who want to question our culture ... let’s be honest, David Fifita was offered a $1.2 million deal by the Titans,” he said.

“We felt the position was worth $800,000 and we felt that was right for David at this stage of his career. If other clubs wish to overpay or the Titans wanted to fix a problem they felt they had by paying a lot more than we were prepared to, well that’s their option.

David Fifita spent much of the 2020 season injured. Picture: Getty Images

“That’s the reality of it all. It was an option process. We got to a point where we said ‘this is what we are prepared to pay and we won’t go further’.

“I’m not going to say what the Titans have done is wrong, but the maths just didn’t work for the Broncos at the moment. David is a tremendous talent and we didn’t want to lose him ideally, but every asset can be mis-priced.

“How do you balance up the short-term and long-term contracts to have the best of both worlds? Sometimes it’s impossible.

“The culture wasn’t a factor at all. It wasn’t a great year for the Broncos and I’m not saying the environment Dave found himself in was helpful. But would Dave have left for $100,000 more or $400,000 more? Who knows.

“Dave as a 20-year-old had to decide between $800,000 and $1.2 million. That’s a huge differential. He has a short window as an athlete to make that sort of money so I wish David all the best and hope he succeeds at the Titans.”

David Fifita signed a three-year deal with the Titans. Picture: Getty Images

Fifita’s salary is set to be a talking point for the 2021 NRL season given he is one of the game’s highest-paid players despite boasting only 45 appearances.

He was underwhelming in his Titans debut last weekend, as Gold Coast lost to New Zealand, but had a difficult preparation after being hospitalised midweek with an infection in his ankle.

The Titans’ previous million-dollar investments have backfired, with Jarryd Hayne and Ash Taylor failing to deliver on their pay packets.

But Gold Coast co-owner Darryl Kelly said Fifita’s salary didn’t matter and it was all about the bustling backrower performing his role in the team.

“The fact he is a highly-paid player to me is immaterial,” he said.

“He’s only got to do his job. He doesn’t have to win every game for us.

“It’s a team sport. The other players have to get to the level they were at (last year) so he can do that one-percenter that wins you a game.

“If they don’t do their job, he can’t do his.

“He is still a young player learning the game. He thinks Justin (Holbrook, coach) can teach him a lot more about playing football.”

At Gold Coast’s season launch recently, Holbrook spoke candidly about the challenge of signing Fifita as the Titans attempted to prove they were a club on the rise.

The Titans were desperate to prove they were heading in the right direction while Storm recruit Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was convincing his close friend to help him rebuild the club.

Titans coach Justin Holbrook has to get the best out of David Fifita. Picture: Jason O'Brien

At the time of his signing, Holbrook said he wasn’t fazed by Fifita’s salary.

“He is the best young forward in our game,” Holbrook said. “With the bigger dollars you want them to be game-changers, not necessarily what position they play.

“He will be fine (with the salary expectations). One thing I have said to him is not to worry about that. He is coming to play back row in our team and that’s it.

“Yeah, he’s getting paid a lot of money but that doesn’t matter to me. He just needs to come on and do his job in the back row for us. That’s what I assured him.

“There is a bit of expectation there but I just want him to come and play footy.

“I am excited to be coaching him. He is so young and raw. There is a lot of upside to that.

“He is not a goalkicking halfback. He doesn’t have a big expectation as a team member.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Broncos chairman Karl Morris slams claims David Fifita quit Brisbane because of the club’s culture