NRL 2024: Daniel Saifiti reveals why he left Knights, signed with the Dolphins
Daniel Saifiti has opened up on his impending Dolphins move, revealing he could have stayed with the Knights, but knew he was meant to leave after a crucial meeting with Kristian Woolf.
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Daniel Saifiti sat down with potential middle teammates Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert. Incoming coach Kristian Woolf was there, so too chief executive Terry Reader, and by the end of that meeting Saifiti was ready to be a Dolphin.
After months of speculation Saifiti has opened up about his impending switch to the Dolphins ending a long-term association with the Knights having made his debut at the club in 2016.
INITIAL TALKS
Saifiti still had two years left on a rich deal worth about $850,000.
While the Knights weren’t forcing him out of the club, both parties came to a beneficial agreement to cut ties at the end of this year.
“I feel good,” Saifiti said. “I’m not relieved because I’ve known it was going to happen for most of the year. My mind was around it and I’m looking forward to it.
“There were whispers last year but it was just whispers and the club didn’t really say anything so it was a bit of a shock. This year I was more open to leaving.
“As soon as Sully (new recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan) started, I just wanted to see where he was and get on the front foot.
“I could’ve easily stayed but I told the boys that I knew it was good for the club and good chance for me to get out of my comfort zone.”
DRAGONS AND DOLPHINS
The Dragons had talks with Saifiti and he underwent a medical at the club.
The Dolphins were circling too, with the Queensland-based club having the advantage of a prior relationship between Woolf and Saifiti.
Woolf was Newcastle’s interim coach in 2019 and before that part of Nathan Brown’s staff.
“I had a meeting with the Dragons and then the Dolphins came in,” Saifiti said.
“When they reached out I knew where I was going. I loved playing under Woolfy and we’d kept in touch. He was upfront and honest.
“He said I had a good patch in the middle of the season.
“When he left I was playing Origin and he said he could see me getting back to that arena. He went through some clips of some good and bad moments.
“(Twin brother) Jacob and I had never come off-contract, we always re-signed before November 1 so this was different. I was nervous meeting other clubs and getting pitched to.”
Flegler and Gilbert were also in the meeting which took place when Saifiti flew to Queensland in August on a day-off.
“The plan is for me to start which won’t be given to me if I rock up in bad shape,” Saifiti said.
KNIGHT REFLECTION
Saifiti made his debut at a time when the Knights were anchored towards the bottom of the ladder. He won just six of his opening 43 matches.
“I was 19 and it was easy to get a jersey but it was hard because we were getting flogged,” Saifiti said.
“I was happy to be playing first grade and our goal back then was to be competitive, not to win, which shows how bad we were.
“It was myself, Jacob and Josh King starting in the middle. It wasn’t until guys like David Klemmer came that I had an experienced middle to look up to.
“And then guys like Tim Glasby and Aidan Guerra.
“I had an up and down year this year after a slow start.
“When Jacob got injured I started to play my best footy. I started (games) my whole career and I didn’t adapt as well as I should’ve.
“I got to say a few words at the presentation. All the boys I’m close to at Newcastle they’ve known for most of the season I’m going.
“I would’ve loved to have played my whole career at Newcastle but we knew it was time.”
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