Gold Coast Titans move to extend Tino Fa’asuamaleaui contract after Dolphins poaching bid
With the Dolphins desperate to make Tino Fa’asuamaleaui one of their marquee signings, Gold Coast may have just blown the expansion side out of the water. Deal details here.
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The Titans have tabled a $3.3 million mega deal to Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and could offer him the captaincy as the Gold Coast move to scupper a poaching bid from Queensland expansion rivals the Dolphins.
News Corp can reveal the Titans have kicked-off negotiations on a four-year upgrade to secure Fa’asuamaleaui until the end of 2026 amid fears the Queensland Origin giant could be a foundation signing for the Dolphins in 2023.
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Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has Fa’asuamaleaui on his hit-list of priority signings after forging a bond with the premiership-winning forward during Queensland’s epic Origin series defeat of the Blues last November.
While Fa’asuamaleaui is contracted to the Titans until the end of 2023, he has an option in his favour in the final year, giving him the contractual scope to spearhead Brisbane’s new second team in their inaugural season.
The Dolphins have expressed preliminary interest in Fa’asuamaleaui, but the Titans are up for the fight and have hit back with one of the most lucrative deals in their 14-year history.
It is understood the Titans want to upgrade the 21-year-old’s contract for 2023 as well as adding a three-year extension, starting at $800,000 a season and climbing to $850,000 annually.
Overall, the Maroons young gun stands to pocket more than $3 million in what represents the richest deal of his career after backing up his premiership season at Melbourne in 2020 with a fine debut campaign for the Titans this year.
The Titans are also considering Fa’asuamaleaui for the club captaincy as Gold Coast begin planning for life after co-skipper Kevin Proctor, who could retire at the end of next year.
The Titans’ other co-captain, Jamal Fogarty, was released a fortnight ago to take up a deal with the Raiders.
The Dolphins are hellbent on a marquee No.1 signing and Fa’asuamaleaui shapes as the perfect poster boy given his Queensland Origin status, cleanskin image and his ties to Gympie north of Redcliffe.
But the Titans view their Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita and Moeaki Fotuaika as their Big Three Origin stars who can spearhead Gold Coast’s strategic plan to win two premierships by 2030.
While Fa’asuamaleaui spoke of his respect for Bennett, he insists he is happy at the Titans and believes the club hasn’t seen the best of him as a middle forward.
“I’m set here and I want to make this home,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“It’s good that Redcliffe have come into the game. It’s exciting for that area of Queensland so more players can come through ... but I want to make the Titans a very powerful club in the future.
“My form this year was not too bad. To be honest, there is still a lot of work for me to do and there are areas I feel I need to improve on to help bring success to the Titans.”
Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell backed Gold Coast’s culture to stave off a Dolphins raid.
“There is an appealing coach (Bennett) at the helm (of the Dolphins) and you can’t understate that,” he said.
“The ability to be able to keep your player group is about the environment that you build and culture.
“We’ve got to make sure our programs are the best and Tino has an opportunity to become everything he can as a player.
“These guys are elite athletes that want to win premierships and be the best they can be. In this game that’s winning premierships so we’ve got to give them an environment to do that.”
QLD power rankings: Titans’ No.1 problem
- Chris Honnery
If you are a Queensland rugby league fan, do you have reason for hope or are you headed for another tough year? Here’s how the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys are shaping up for 2022.
We have rated each club on their strengths, weaknesses, coaching situation and key players as they all prepare to kick-off pre-season training next week.
BRONCOS
The 2021 season was an improvement for Brisbane following their wooden spoon finish the previous year, but they still only managed to finish 14th. Their new head of football, Ben Ikin, has been busy since starting the role in June, locking down key players as well as signing some heavyweight stars for the 2022 season.
STRENGTHS: Their signings for the 2022 season include grand final duo Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs) and Kurt Capewell (Panthers), as well as Ryan James (Raiders) and Brenko Lee (Storm).
WEAKNESSES: The squad’s inexperience coupled with the demons of the past two years could prove a challenge.
COACH SITUATION: Kevin Walters needs to show more signs of improvement to secure a contract extension beyond 2022.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Selwyn Cobbo has rocketed into contention for the Broncos No.1 jersey after a cracking seven-game showing in 2021.
KEY MAN: Adam Reynolds has been tasked with steering the Broncos out of the NRL doldrums – a mammoth assignment for any player.
PREDICTED QLD POWER RANKING: 2nd.
COWBOYS
The North Queensland club will be looking to bounce back from their 15th place finish in 2021. The Cowboys have plenty of exciting youngsters coming through their ranks who gained some valuable experience in 2021 but will need to be able to match it with the top teams to become a real premiership threat.
STRENGTHS: The club’s young crop of kids coming through, including backrow trio Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai and Riley Price.
WEAKNESSES: Their defensive effort in 2021 was the worst in the competition and an area that needs to be addressed this pre-season.
COACH SITUATION: Todd Payten will enter his second of a three-year contract in 2022 and will be eager for some improvement after a poor start to his tenure.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Riley Price, son of former Maroons prop Steve, has been handed a development contract at the club and shapes as a future talent for the Cowboys.
KEY MAN: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has a strong case to make to be the Cowboys No.1 man in 2022 with his incredible talent and speed.
PREDICTED QLD POWER RANKING: 3rd.
TITANS
The Titans made it into the finals for the first time in five years in 2021 and if not for a last-second pass, would have made it through to week two of the finals. They have made some key off-season signings such as Isaac Liu (Roosters) and Will Smith (Eels), which can only help them improve.
STRENGTHS: One of the most promising forward packs in the competition, boasting the likes of David Fifita, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Moeaki Fotuaika, Isaac Liu, Sam Lisone and Jarrod Wallace.
WEAKNESSES: The extent to which the loss of halfback Jamal Fogarty to Canberra will hurt the Titans will only be known once the season begins but it does leave an inexperienced – albeit star-studded – Gold Coast spine of Jayden Campbell, Toby Sexton and AJ Brimson.
COACH SITUATION: Justin Holbrook is set to remain in the top job until the end of the 2024 season following his successful transformation at the club.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jayden Campbell proved a handy talent at fullback at the back end of the 2021 season and shows plenty of promise for the upcoming year.
KEY MAN: AJ Brimson’s move to five-eighth will add some X-factor into the Titans halves.
PREDICTED QLD POWER RANKING: 1st.
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