Broncos concede they cannot match Gold Coast’s offer for David Fifita
As the race for David Fifita heats up, the Broncos have admitted they cannot match the huge offer the star second-rower has received from the Titans.
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Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has conceded the club cannot match the Gold Coast‘s $5 million bid to poach David Fifita but is adamant fullback sensation Tesi Niu will not be heading to the Titans.
Fifita has received a $1 million-a-season offer from the Titans and is in discussions with Immortal Mal Meninga for a potential lifetime deal to join the Gold Coast.
The contract would make Fifita one of the NRL‘s highest-paid players at the age of 20.
With $2 million of their salary cap dedicated to Anthony Milford and Jack Bird for 2021, the Broncos are currently only able to offer Fifita around $700,000 a season to remain at Red Hill.
If money is Fifita‘s only consideration then the Queensland Origin young gun will be Gold Coast-bound next year.
But Seibold is hoping Fifita will look at the bigger picture and commit to the club that has helped develop him into one of the NRL‘s rising stars.
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“From what I am led to believe he has been offered a fair bit of money to go down there to the Titans,” Seibold said.
“I reckon there wouldn’t be a person in front of me here (media) that wouldn’t consider that kind of money.
“He won’t be able to get that sort of money at the Broncos but we are desperate to keep David. We have a great relationship with him and his family. In my 18 months here I have a fantastic relationship with him and Gwen (mother).
“Would a young bloke be interested in that sort of money for that length of deal? Of course they would.
“We don’t want to lose David. If that has been offered to him and he is thinking about that, then I can certainly see why.
“What we are trying to do is keep him with the rest of the young guys coming through because we believe that if we continue to build over the next 18 months that we can do something really special as a group. We are working really hard to keep him.
“Why haven’t we signed him yet? It is because we do have some salary cap issues for next year and you can‘t go over the cap. It is not because he has agreed anywhere else or doesn’t want to stay here.
“From my understanding he loves the club but you can understand him being half-interested in that sort of money at such a young age.
“We will keep fighting hard to get better and we will keep fighting hard to keep him. I believe we will.
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“When Mal – the Kangaroo coach – knocks on your door it is going to make him think and his family think. We will do our best to keep him.”
Fifita isn‘t the only Broncos player being targeted by the Titans, with Meninga has also launching a bid to snare Niu from 2021.
Niu, 19, will make his starting debut at fullback in place of Jamayne Isaako against the Titans on Saturday at Suncorp Stadium and Seibold said the youngster had agreed to remain at Brisbane, albeit without signing on the dotted line.
“Tesi has verbally agreed (to stay), there’s been a bit of speculation Tesi could be leaving but he’s verbally agreed,“ Seibold said.
“We’re actually waiting for the manager to send back confirmation of that by email.
“Pete Nolan (football boss) has been chasing that up for three or four weeks now.
“Tesi recommitted and confirmed that with myself and Pete Nolan this week.
“He is happy here and has a good opportunity this weekend. We see him having plenty of potential.
“Jamayne has a couple of things to work on defensively.”