The inside story on why David Fifita walked away from Nick Politis and his Roosters

In rugby league, nobody crosses billionaire business tycoon and Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis; nobody other than David Fifita that is.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita after the Round 18 Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans game in 2023. Picture: NRL Images

‘F*** you, brother’.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui hit David Fifita between the eyes.

Not literally, of course, but it was three words during a tense and emotional conversation between the Titans’ superstar “brothers” that proved a seminal moment in Fifita’s shock decision to backflip on the Roosters.

Fifita’s worlds will collide on Sunday when the Titans back-rower runs onto Cbus Super Stadium to confront the Roosters team he sensationally reneged on.

It has been 102 days since Fifita shocked the NRL world with his decision to quit the Titans to sign a four-year, $3.3 million deal with Sydney glamour club the Roosters.

The Roosters had pulled off the coup of the season.

Fifita even verbally committed to Roosters supremo Nick Politis. In rugby league, nobody crosses billionaire business tycoon Politis. Incredibly, Fifita did.

Six days after signing with the Chooks, the Queensland Origin powerhouse got cold feet and recommitted to the Titans.

And while Fifita’s decision to stay close to his family on the Gold Coast was a major catalyst, the real back story concerns Fa’asuamaleaui, and his secret role in the Titanic heist.

David Fifita (R) and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui argue a point. Picture: NRL Images

Fifita is a headstrong character but there is one person who can pull him into line on the glitter strip.

That man is Fa’asuamaleaui, the Titans skipper who first convinced Fifita to quit the Broncos at the end of 2020 and spearhead a title dynasty on the Gold Coast.

Fa’asuamaleaui had himself walked away from the Storm, the best team of the past two decades, to chase a challenge at the lowly Gold Coast. Then Fifita joined him.

The pair, friends since the age of 12, had been reunited.

So when Fifita announced he was headed for Bondi, it went down like a lead balloon with Fa’asuamaleaui.

The great mates had spoken about bringing glory to the Titans.

There was a private pact for Fa’asuamaleaui, Fifita, AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell and Mo Fotuaika to stick together in pursuit of the club’s first premiership.

“I don’t believe Dave Fifita ever really wanted to go,” said Fa’asuamaleaui’s manager Simon Mammino.

“Tino and Dave played together as teenagers in their first rep teams and when Dave was weighing up whether to leave the Broncos, Tino was a factor in him going to the Gold Coast.

“They had made a pact to stay loyal and win a premiership together at the Titans and then Tino finds out Dave is going to the Roosters.

“Tino didn’t hold a gun to his head, so to speak. He told Dave to do what he thought was best, but he never wanted Dave to leave.

“They are very close as mates.”

(L-R) David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui training with the Maroons. Picture: NRL photos

So close that, like brothers having a blue in a game of backyard footy, the pair let off some steam in pre-season.

There were whispers that Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita were involved in a training spat during a heated summer session under new coach Des Hasler.

The ultra-competitive Fa’asuamaleaui, who cut his teeth in the Storm system, had been leading Hasler’s attempts to toughen up the Titans.

There was a view Fifita wasn’t working hard enough and needed a pull through.

Speculation suggested the duo came to blows. Fa’asuamaleaui insists it never got that ugly.

“It was nothing, bro,” he told this masthead in February.

“We’re just brothers and that’s what you do – you fight at times.

“It was nothing physical at all. It was a one-minute thing on the field.

“We were more pushing (motivationally) each other, which is good, you want that. You want boys competing and pushing each other and keeping each other honest.

“If you don’t have that then you’re not picking up on little things. It’s good.

“I still love him. Like I said, we’re brothers.”

It’s why, three months after that training bust-up, Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita faced another flashpoint. The Bondi ambush was complete. Fifita was leaving the Titans at season’s end. Fa’asuamaleaui had been blindsided.

At training the next day, Fa’asuamaleaui confronted Fifita. He felt a sense of betrayal - one, that Fifita was leaving, the pact shattered, and two, that he was oblivious to the news.

Like a disappointed big brother, he didn’t mince words with Fifita.

“It was awkward,” Fa’asuamaleaui told James Graham’s Bye Round podcast of his showdown with Fifita.

“I know Dave is passionate about the club but to hear the rumours (that Fifita had signed with the Roosters), he knew how I felt.

“I was like, ‘F*** you, brother’.

“Not in a bad way, not like I wanted him to fail, but we were meant to do this together (at the Titans) and he knew how I felt.

“I said, ‘Mate, I’ve failed you’, then I walked away.

“He kind of looked at me and that’s all that was said.”

(L-R) Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita. Picture: Richard Gosling

A few days later, Fa’asuamaleaui was driving to Fifita’s house.

The pair had been asked to attend a Titans promotion. Fa’asuamaleaui arrived to pick up Fifita, who instructed him to first drive to Titans headquarters at Parkwood.

There, the pair were greeted by Titans coach Des Hasler. In front of Hasler and Fa’asuamaleaui, Fifita broke the news he was reneging on the Roosters.

There were suggestions part of the reason Fifita wanted out of the Titans was because he was struggling to adapt to Hasler’s hard edge and intense training sessions in the pursuit of excellence.

But Fa’asuamaleaui insists Hasler is the coach Fifita needs.

“Des played a big part for sure,” he said.

“We were going on a promo to Brisbane and I went to his house to pick him up. Then he said Des wants us to go to the office.

Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita grew up playing with and against each other.

“Dave said, ‘I’m backflipping’.

“I couldn’t believe it was happening. I said, ‘Bro, why did you put yourself under so much pressure in the media’.

“I felt like I had failed Dave with all of it because we promised each other that one day we would lift the trophy up together at the Titans and be the first guys to do it.

“I’m just glad we get another crack at the title next year (when Fa’asuamaleaui returns from a knee reconstruction).

“Hopefully we don’t fail in our dream.

“But at least we get to stay together and keep kicking on.”

There is talk the Roosters could target Fifita on Sunday.

“It (reception) probably won’t be too pretty,” concedes Titans hooker and former Rooster Sam Verrills.

“They will probably come get him, but we’ve got Dave’s back.”

Hasler says calls for Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to seek retribution on Fifita for dudding the Tri-Colours would be foolish.

“The players don’t look at it like that, it’s a different mentality in how they go about things these days,” Hasler said.

“You can’t afford to knock Fifita’s head off because if you do you will get suspended for six weeks.

“Every player will be mindful of that - particularly the Roosters players heading into a finals series.”

Originally published as The inside story on why David Fifita walked away from Nick Politis and his Roosters