NRL news: David Fifita leaves Titans teammates in the dark
The announcement of a significant moment for the Gold Coast was bizarre, with Titans officials and teammates left to play catch-up.
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David Fifita left his Titans teammates in the dark about his future, keeping his decision to remain on the Gold Coast a closely guarded secret.
Fifita inked a three-year extension with the Titans this week, keeping him at the club until the end of 2026.
The announcement of such a significant moment for the Titans was bizarre, with Fifita breaking the news himself via his personal Instagram account at 9.25pm on Monday night.
The Titans’ website and social media channels were left playing catch-up and even Fifita’s closest teammates had no idea.
“He didn’t let me know,” said Titans halfback Tanah Boyd, a fellow Keebra Park High product.
“I was a bit filthy on him (laughs). I just saw it on Instagram.
“I was stoked, I messaged him straight away. The boys were so happy.”
Along with captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Boyd worked hard to convince Fifita to knock back interest from the Raiders and Broncos.
“Yeah, I was, I had a few phone calls and chats with him. I put my two cents in,” he said.
“I’m so glad he’s with us now. He is fit, firing and I can’t wait for the year ahead for him.
“Especially now he’s playing outside ‘Fozzy’ (Kieran Foran), he’s going to bring the best out of him. I’m looking forward to it.”
BENNETT’S BRUTAL PONGA SLEDGE CAPTURED IN DOCO
Tensions between Queensland Origin star Kalyn Ponga and Dolphins super coach Wayne Bennett continue to simmer.
The new NRL team’s hit documentary, Dawn of the Dolphins, not only shines the light on the expansion club’s recruitment hit list, but comments from Bennett about Ponga also raised eyebrows.
Behind-the-scenes footage of an early Dolphins meeting shows recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan, CEO Terry Reader and coach Bennett discussing their hit list and whether they should pursue Ponga.
O’Sullivan suggests signing Ponga, off-contract at the Knights. Bennett shoots it down quickly, saying: “Well, I’m not confident about Ponga playing five-eighth ... I don’t think he’d want to.”
The Dolphins did ultimately chase Ponga, with Bennett later taking a swipe at the Maroons maestro after he knocked back a huge offer to remain loyal to the Knights.
Ponga revealed he copped some home truths from Bennett, who challenged the fullback to get out of his comfort zone in Newcastle and work harder by joining the Dolphins.
Just as fascinating is the Dolphins’ hit list. The documentary reveals Bennett and O’Sullivan wrote down a number of targets, including Harry Grant, Ben Hunt, Jeremiah Nanai, Suliasi Vunivalu, Herbie Farnworth, Dylan Brown, Junior Paulo and Melbourne’s young gun Jack Howarth.
While most of those names rejected deals, the Dolphins nabbed Broncos ace Farnworth on a three-year, $2 million deal.
IKIN QUITS KEY ROLE AT BRONCOS
Broncos football boss Ben Ikin has resigned from Brisbane’s recruitment-and-retention committee amid speculation over his future at Red Hill.
Sport Confidential can reveal Ikin has stood down from the high-powered panel that presides over the composition of Brisbane’s NRL roster – just 18 months after arriving at the Broncos as head of football.
Ikin declined to comment but confirmed he is no longer a member of Brisbane’s recruitment-and-retention committee.
Brisbane’s latest annual report shows Ikin’s job title has changed from head of football last year to head of football operations this year following the departure of football manager Steve Walters.
It is understood Ikin was not sacked from the panel, with the 46-year-old walking away of his own volition to concentrate on other facets of the Broncos’ business.
Ikin informed Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy of his decision to quit the panel in pre-season, only a matter of months after revelations of front-office tension between Brisbane’s football boss and coach Kevin Walters.
Ikin and Walters were struggling to see eye-to-eye over the level of input from the Broncos football boss, his philosophies to build a winning club, and the coach’s desire to run Brisbane’s football program.
In September, Walters confirmed he would work to improve lines of communication with Ikin, saying: “Can things be better with him? Yes, everything in the club can be better.
“I don’t have a major issue with him. I need to be better myself and Ben needs to be better.”
Now there is a fresh development, with Ikin severing ties with the Broncos’ recruitment-and-retention committee, which essentially means he has no involvement in who Brisbane hire and fire as they attempt to snap a 17-year premiership drought.
Ikin was last month sounded out by the Queensland Rugby League to replace chief executive Rohan Sawyer, but he rejected the role, showing he is committed to the Broncos at this stage.
There are five people left on the panel – CEO Donaghy, coach Walters, salary-cap manager Louise Lanigan, Broncos Academy chief Simon Scanlan and club legend Darren Lockyer, also a Brisbane board member.
In Brisbane’s chain of command, Ikin reports to Walters, who reports to CEO Donaghy.
It is believed Ikin is happy to relay retention and recruitment ideas to Scanlan, with whom he works closely on Brisbane’s elite pathways program.
Ikin’s decision to walk from the panel will raise eyebrows given he is one of the highest-paid football chiefs in the code. He is on a salary of $347,549 and was expected to have the type of clout at the Broncos that Canterbury head of football Phil Gould enjoys at Belmore given their reputation among the sharpest minds in the code.
Upon his arrival in June 2021, Ikin played a key role in the signing of Penrith premiership-winner Kurt Capewell. The Broncos recently lost Dolphins defectors Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler from their roster for 2024, but chairman Karl Morris is happy with the function of Brisbane’s recruitment-and-retention committee.
“Our recruitment and retention people have regular discussions about our roster and our players being attractive to other teams,” Morris said.
“You have these wonderful players coming through and unfortunately, there is a salary cap and we have to act in our best interests in making sure the salary cap is well utilised for the years ahead,” Morris said.
“Losing guys is part of the cycle of the NRL.”
Queensland NRL legend Scott Sattler, who was the Titans’ inaugural football manager in 2007, was shocked by Ikin’s departure.
“I am totally surprised that Ben Ikin would not be on the club’s recruitment-and-retention committee,” Sattler said.
“Especially someone who has played Origin and Test football and has won at the highest levels of the competition.
“Ben might be executing some things quietly because he’s not a guy who craves attention. He is happy to slide along in the shadows and get the job done.
“The great thing about Ben is he is selfless and would no doubt put the Broncos first to ensure ‘Kevvie’ (Walters) gets all the support he needs.
“But the head of football has to be involved in the club’s roster and succession planning.
“When I was football manager at the Titans, I worked closely with Carty (John Cartwright) as coach and Michael Searle to build our roster.
“As the head of football, he should have input into recruitment and an understanding of the club’s salary cap position. There’s a lot of moving pieces and Ben should have a direct say in who the club signs and whether they fit the Broncos’ standards.
“Ben Ikin should have his fingerprints all over the Broncos’ roster and their succession planning.”
LODGE READY TO RUMBLE
It shapes as the most explosive NRL battle of the year.
Plans are underway for controversial Roosters prop Matt Lodge to jump into the ring with Cowboys wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo in rugby league’s heavyweight boxing blockbuster.
As revealed by this column, Taumalolo has been given the green light to box by the Cowboys in an NRL Fight Night, which is scheduled to take place after this year’s grand final.
The Cowboys hulk has signed a contract with Brisbane fight promoters. Now the task turns to finding Taumalolo an opponent and Lodge has put his hand up to go toe-to-toe with the Tongan torpedo.
Lodge was in talks to fight Paul Gallen last December and the controversial Roosters prop is ready to rumble with the Cowboys hulk.
“My focus is on the Roosters at the moment but, yes, I’m open to fighting,” he said.
“I have been asked a few times by his management and have had people call me telling me Jason wants to fight me.
“I’ll have a crack, there’s not many of us Aussie heavyweights anymore, but it has to make sense for me – there’s no point getting in the ring with the ‘Tongan Terminator’ for nothing.
“There’s no ego in it for me. I’m happy to look at their proposal when the footy season is over.
“I wish Taumalolo well for the footy season.”
DEARDEN FIT AS A FIDDLE
Tom Dearden goes into Friday’s Broncos derby brimming with confidence after smashing the Cowboys’ club record in a time-trial run.
The Cowboys playmaker underlined his supreme fitness during pre-season when he overcame the sweltering summer heat in the tropics to finish a 1.2km run in 4 minutes and 32 seconds.
Dearden not only blitzed the rest of the Cowboys squad, he posted a new 1200-metre club record, eclipsing Reuben Cotter’s personal best time by just one second.
Dearden is renowned for his competitive nature and the former Broncos playmaker relished taking down Cotter’s record by the slimmest of margins.
“In my position, you should be good in the fitness test,” he said.
“It’s one of those things where I am naturally fit and it comes from playing in the halves.
“You have to be fit because you are covering a lot of kilometres as a playmaker and you have to be loud and clear with your talk under fatigue.”
SHOOSH
Which Origin star asked an NRL.com reporter last week to delete an all-in interview after a game due to the players’ ongoing CBA spat with the NRL? He was polite about it, but the situation is totally ridiculous.
TOWER OF TERROR
Australian heavyweight Demsey McKean is on the verge of the biggest fight of his career.
Nicknamed the ‘Tower of Terror’, the 198cm Ipswich southpaw is in the advanced stages of talks to fight Kiwi boxing legend Joseph Parker in a heavyweight blockbuster in Brisbane.
Parker has agreed to fight McKean, with the fight pencilled in for late May at a location in Australia, most likely Brisbane’s Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Parker has won 31 of 34 professional fights and famously beat Andy Ruiz in Auckland in 2016 to become heavyweight champion of the world.
Still active, the 31-year-old Kiwi would be a daunting test for McKean, who is unbeaten in 22 fights and ranked No.9 with the IBF and No.10 with the WBO.
Parker suffered the first knockout of his career against Joe Joyce in September but bounced back with a unanimous decision over Jack Massey in England in January.
An upset defeat of Parker would edge the world-ranked McKean closer to a world-title shot.
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