Raiders set to make double play for Titans’ $1.25m man and NRLW superstar

An NRL club is deep in negotiations to sign the game’s highest-paid player and his NRLW superstar partner.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 30: David Fifita of the Titans looks on during the round 20 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Canberra Raiders at Cbus Super Stadium, on July 30, 2022, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

The Canberra Raiders are set to make a play to lure Gold Coast Titans star David Fifita to the nation’s capital, with Ricky Stuart reportedly meeting with his management.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the Raiders have started negotiations with Fifita’s management in a bid to sign the former Queensland Origin star for 2024 and beyond.

The 22-year-old is entering the final year of his record $1.25 million a season three-year deal with the Titans in 2023, but has been free to negotiate with rivals since November 1.

According to the Herald, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart met with Fifita’s management last week and while an offer is yet to be finalised, Canberra view the back-rower as a player to build their pack around.

The Titans are keen to keep Fifita on a reduced contract, but are not willing to pay anywhere near the money they lured him from the Broncos on.

Last season Fifita failed to reach the heights of his first year on the Gold Coast when he scored 17 tries as the Titans went within a pass of the semi-finals.

He scored just seven tries last season and struggled for involvement as he was shuffled to the bench at times and lost his Queensland Origin jersey.

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David Fifita could be headed for Canberra in 2024.

Shaylee Bent of Australia poses for a photo during the Australia Rugby League Women's World Cup portrait session on October 27, 2022 in York, England. (Photo by Karl Bridgeman/Getty Images for Rugby League World Cup)

The Raiders are also targeting Fifita’s partner, Shaylee Bent for their NRLW side, which would emulate couple Millie Boyle and Adam Elliott signing for the Knights.

Adding Fifita to a pack already containing Joseph Tapine, Josh Papali’i, Hudson Young, Elliott Whitehead, Corey Harawira-Naera and Corey Horsburgh would make the Raiders’ one of the most formidable packs in the game.

Fifita has scored 37 tries in 84 NRL games for the Titans and Broncos since his debut in 2018 and has played five Origins for Queensland and four Tests for Tonga.

David Fifita and his partner are being courted by the Raiders.

Speaking on the Six Tackles with Gus Podcast in September, Phil Gould said Fifita’s ridiculous price for his Gold Coast contract had harmed the game.

“If you go back in time to when they signed him, I said it was an irresponsible signing,” Gould said.

“$1.25 million for a 20-year-old back-rower is reckless spending. It actually caused problems with the whole player market and the values in the market.

“When you get an outlier purchase like that where someone goes and pays a ridiculous amount of money for a young back-rower, then the other back-rowers, forwards, halves, five-eighths and fullbacks in the competition say, ‘Well if he’s worth that, what am I worth?’

“It created a whole false economy … It’s not his fault he’s on that money. But it was harmful to the game.”

Originally published as Raiders set to make double play for Titans’ $1.25m man and NRLW superstar