Tensions between Titans and Jets over Fifita, the taming of Kotoni Staggs, WA media’s war on Bears

The underlying tension over the future of David Fifita has spilled over with Gold Coast now at loggerheads with their feeder club Ipswich. READ THE LATEST.

The David Fifita saga has taken another twist with Titans bosses at loggerheads with their own feeder club the Ipswich Jets.

Sport Confidential can reveal Gold Coast management were furious with Jets chiefs for suggesting Fifita was being played out of position by Titans coach Des Hasler.

Titans hierarchy contacted Ipswich powerbrokers to vent their fury at the Jets’ public support of Fifita, who was dropped to the Hostplus Cup against the Northern Pride last Sunday.

The bust-up underlines the tension over Fifita, who has been shopped to two NRL rivals in a sign he could be weighing up his future at the Gold Coast.

Fifita was criticised for making nine runs for just 58 metres in Ipswich’s 32-0 loss to the Pride, but Ipswich chairman Steve Johnson defended the former Queensland Origin star.

Underlining his commitment, Fifita had a pain-killing injection to his recently-operated ankle in a bid to play for the Jets.

“The criticism of David is unjustified,” Johnson said.

“Our starting front-rowers had four and five hit-ups, while Dave made 19 tackles with no misses.

“In fairness to Dave, if you watch the game, he was heavily marked and had three and four blokes gang-tackling him at every opportunity.

“We had our pants pulled down by a very good team that were bolstered by Cowboys NRL players.

“Dave committed totally to the team which says a lot about him as a person.

“If the great Arthur Beetson was still alive, he would take Dave under his wing as an Indigenous mentor and know exactly how to treat him.”

Former Broncos captain Corey Parker questioned the Titans’ treatment of Fifita, saying the Gold Coast should deploy him as a back-rower on his preferred left side.

“I would play him on the left,” he said.

David Fifita ran for just 58m for the Jets.

“If that’s where he is best suited, put him there to get the best out of him, especially given the big contract he is on at the Titans. Beau Fermor is a very good forward and could easily play on the other side.

“If Dave’s best asset is on the left, why waste him on the right side.”

Parker hit back at critics of Fifita’s contributions for the Titans.

“Every player brings their different traits, skill sets and personalities,” he said.

“Dave is a hell of a player.

“Clearly David is hampered by his foot, that’s been a hurdle for him. I don’t know the ins and outs of it, but I think he has been harshly criticised by people.

“I think he was unlucky not to play State of Origin last year and in his first year for the club he scored 17 tries. I thought last year was the most consistent form of his career.

“When Dave is at the top of his game, he is indestructible. He is not the only powerful second-rower who sits and waits.

“Gorden Tallis (Broncos legend) was not a workhorse as a player. The game could be cruising along, then Gordie would come up with two or three explosive runs and it was game over.

“I think Dave can stay at the Titans, but I don’t know if the head coach will be there if they continue on the path they are going.”

STAGGS PAYS TRIBUT TO THE WOMAN WHO SAVED HIM

She is the blonde bombshell who has helped Kotoni Staggs resurrect his career at the Broncos.

Brisbane’s clash with the Rabbitohs this Friday night is a key fixture of the NRL’s women in league round and Staggs paid tribute to his fiancee Brittany Becht for turning his life around.

Staggs was in danger of being deregistered by the NRL following two off-field incidents in 2021, before he found love with Becht.

His better half is the daughter of Warriors media manager Richard Becht, who gave his blessing to Staggs marrying his daughter when he proposed last October.

(-R) Brittany Becht and Kotoni Staggs.

Once a wild child who admits he was nearly sacked by the Broncos, Staggs says the support of Becht has been the cornerstone of turning his life around.

“I have a great partner,” Staggs said.

“She is probably the main reason I have turned my outside life into a positive thing.

“She has helped get me back on track.”

Staggs also lauded the backing of his mother Leanne and grandmother Dawn. The Broncos centre was estranged from his father in his childhood years and only reconnected with his dad, who lives in America, last year when Brisbane kicked-off the NRL season in Las Vegas.

“Every player has an important woman in their lives and I have got a lot in mine,” Staggs said.

“They have got me to where I am.

“With the amazing women in life, like my mum and my partner, it’s going to be special to put that jersey on and show them.”

MAM THE BUILDER

Ezra Mam is taking his off-field development seriously after his car-crash ordeal last October. The Broncos star has become ‘Ezra the Builder’ is his quest to become a more rounded individual away from rugby league.

Mam’s nine-match suspension is officially over and he will turn out for feeder club Souths Logan in the Hostplus Cup on Sunday.

Ezra Mam has taken a shine to carpentry during his enforced lay-off from the NRL. Picture: Tertius Pickard

During his time in NRL exile, Mam spent time working on a building site, a stint which convinced him to take up a carpentry trade to give him another option in life after football.

Mam’s drug-driving drama underlined how quickly his NRL stardom can be taken away and the grand-final pivot is keen to pursue a post-football career in carpentry.

“Ezra has worked hard not only on the training paddock, but he’s doing work on himself off the field,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said.

“He was studying carpentry. He really took a shine to that when he was out working on the tools.

“I genuinely believe he realises the enormity of what he has gone through.

“Long term, he believes he can educate and help people who have made mistakes in their lives.”

TITANS TANKING

The hits keep coming for the Titans with Gold Coast now wooden spoon favourites following another shocking start to the season.

On the back of five straight losses that sees them sit in the NRL’s bottom two, punters are now backing Des Hasler to deliver the Titans the club’s third piece of ‘timberware’.

Hasler could follow the lead of John Cartwright (2011) and Garth Brennan (2019) by bringing a wooden spoon to the Gold Coast.

The Titans are now rated a $2.75 chance of running last with TAB, shorter odds than the $3 on offer for Melbourne to win the premiership.

“It might be a surprise for some that they’re wooden spoon favourites considering the roster at their disposal, especially with a forward pack like they have, but punters have been off the Titans since pre-season,” TAB’s Rohan Welsh said.

“Before the season kicked off, 100 per cent of outlays were on them winning less than the 10.5 matches we set in the over/under season wins market.

“While at $151, they’re the worst backed side to win the premiership with less than one per cent of the total investments.

“In saying that, the most losses market has been the most open and popular in TAB’s history of NRL wagering.

“In the opening nine weeks we’ve already seen five wooden spoon favourites, with the Titans following the Dragons, Dolphins, Eels and Knights.

“The Eels are still comfortably best backed to run last with TAB.”

‘BAD NEWS BEARS’: PUBLICITY WAR IN WA TAKES UGLY TURN

A public-relations war between the AFL and NRL has broken out in an explosive fallout to the unveiling of the Perth Bears as the code’s 18th team.

Western Australia’s leading newspaper, the West Australian, has launched a savage attack on the NRL, accusing AFL’s rivals of secrecy and WA premier Roger Cook of “dudding” the state’s taxpayers.

On the very day the Perth Bears were formally announced in WA, the paper took out its front page to slam the “Bad News Bears” featuring North Sydney’s foundation logo.

The Bears were pilloried as a “dud second division team”, while “rugby-mad” Cook was slammed for his “indulgence” in wasting $65 million on “Sydney’s NRL rejects”.

It’s safe to say The West Australian is not backing the Bears.

The West Australian is owned by Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media, which has a key investment to protect given their stake in the AFL’s $4.5 billion broadcast deal.

The media skewering underlines the battle the Perth Bears face for a foothold in an AFL market dominated by the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers.

As revealed by this masthead last month, the NRL believes the AFL tried to secretly sabotage their expansion plans by trying to shut the Bears out of Perth.

Now that the Perth Bears are alive and kicking, get ready for a full-blown publicity war between the codes in the wild west.

THE SECRET PHONE CALLS THAT REVEAL KEVVIE’S COACHING COMEBACK

Kevin Walters has bolted into contention to replace embattled Titans coach Des Hasler following confirmation the former Broncos mentor is eyeing an NRL return.

Sport Confidential can reveal Walters is ready to put his hand up to rescue the Gold Coast if the Titans opt to part ways with the besieged Hasler.

Hasler signed a three-year contract with the Titans but as revealed by this masthead, his deal contains a number of performance clauses that could see him sacked as early as this season.

Should the Titans mathematically crash out of contention for the finals, Gold Coast bosses will have the power to terminate the two-time premiership coach.

That scenario opens the door for Walters, who is a free agent and keen to jump back into the hot seat of NRL coaching after his departure from the Broncos last year.

It is understood Walters has contacted NRL agents in recent weeks inquiring about the contract status of players, suggesting a job could be on the horizon for the 57-year-old.

Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters is keen to coach in the NRL again. Picture: Getty Images

While Walters was dramatically sacked after Brisbane’s 12th-placed free fall last season, he went within four minutes of delivering a Broncos premiership. He coached Brisbane to a fairytale surge to the 2023 grand final, only for the Broncos to blow a 24-8 lead against the Panthers, who scored a late try to cruelly snatch the NRL trophy from Walters’ grasp.

Speculation is rife Hasler, aged 64, is even considering retiring at season’s end and Walters’ manager Chris Orr confirmed the former Queensland Origin coach is itching for an NRL comeback.

“Kevvie definitely wants to coach again,” Orr said.

“The day Kevvie finished up at the Broncos, he wasn’t done as an NRL coach. He always wanted to come back as an NRL coach and he believes he has more to offer in that regard.

“I don’t want to comment on the Titans but the fact is Kevvie was a few minutes away from winning a premiership at the Broncos.

“He is a proven winner at every level, coaching is what he loves to do and he is good at it.”

Walters remains actively involved in the game. He works as an expert commentator for Fox Sports and has his own NRL podcast, but Foxtel bosses won’t stand in his way should he wish to return to coaching.

Walters has been previously linked with the Titans job. In 2019, he was regarded as the frontrunner to replace Garth Brennan, only for the Gold Coast to opt for rookie St Helens coach Justin Holbrook.

Incredibly, the Gold Coast have never had a Queenslander in charge in their 18-year history and there is a view Walters could unify the underachieving Titans - just as he did at the Broncos.

Walters took the Broncos from wooden spooners to grand finalists in three years and, critically, he has a strong relationship with superstar Titans forward David Fifita.

Walters gave Fifita his Queensland Origin debut in 2019 and could be a soothing voice for the back-rower amid revelations the maligned back-rower is being shopped to NRL rivals.

Walters also has strong supporters in high places at the Titans including club ambassador Gorden Tallis, who has identified the Broncos legend as a possible successor to Hasler.

Tallis said the Titans could consider Walters as an option before new expansion clubs Perth and Papua New Guinea enter the coaching market.

“Do you jump in before Perth and go for a Brad Arthur, Kevvie Walters or Sam Burgess,” Tallis said on NRL 360.

“There’s people out there, it’s whether they (the Titans) are ready to pull the trigger (on Hasler).”

KINI’S BABY JOY

Injured Titans fullback Keano Kini hasn’t had much time to rest during his recovery from neck surgery.

Kini underwent delicate spinal surgery to fuse two vertebrae earlier this season, sidelining him for at least four months.

The operation was a success and he has been tracking well in his recovery, targeting a round 19 return to the field.

But Kini hasn’t had much of a chance to lay low after he and partner Faith welcomed their first child last week, baby boy Koa Olive Kini.

Kini, 21, is said to be smitten after becoming a father and is hoping to get back into some running in the next fortnight as he aims to get back on the field this season.

PARKER’S FREAK INJURY

Broncos legend Corey Parker has gone under the knife after suffering a freak injury.

Parker tore his biceps off the bone recently while moving house.

The former Test and Origin workhorse was lifting a sauna into a trailer when his biceps snapped and curled up his arm.

The full rupture required surgery and a three-month recovery but it hasn’t slowed Parker down too much.

With his arm in a cast, he has been on-air with SEN Radio and still managing to train.

QLD PREMIER’S EXPANSION PLEA

Queensland premier David Crisafulli has appealed for ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys to give the Sunshine State a fifth NRL club.

V’landys exclusively told this masthead during Magic Round last week that the door was open for a fifth Queensland team to be added as part of a 20-team league.

A second New Zealand team was being slated for entry, but V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo have been less than impressed by the quality of several bids from Christchurch.

That has brought Queensland into the frame and Crisafulli says the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane is the perfect platform for a fifth team to join the Broncos, Dolphins, Cowboys and Titans.

Asked if Queensland could support a fifth team, Crisafulli told NRL’s 360: “Definitely you could in terms of the supporter base.

“The big challenge is always economically.

“You put another side into the mix and they have to get the corporate dollars.

“But the NRL has a bold expansion bid and hats off to Peter and Andrew for the way they are running the show. They do have bold plans to expand. PNG is league-mad territory. They want to take it to the west (with the Perth Bears) and that makes sense.

“I think there’s room for more Queensland teams in the future, we’ll be there ready, willing and able to help.”

Crisafulli impressed with his rugby league knowledge on the NRL 360 program, revealing he attended North Queensland’s first ever premiership game in 1995.

Phillip Coates playing for the Currumbin Eagles in 2023. Picture: Regi Varghese

BROTHER OF A GUN

Don’t be mistaken if you think you see Storm and Maroons star Xavier Coates playing in Saturday’s Mal Meninga Cup final.

Burleigh Bears flyer Phil Coates is a spitting image of his older brother, so much so he regularly gets mistaken for Xavier.

“We are identical,” Xavier said with a laugh.

“I get messages on social media from people saying they saw me, but it’s actually my brother.

“He is creating his own journey. He is enjoying his footy at Burleigh Bears and hopefully that leads into a pathway in the NRL.

“He’s enjoying playing with his mates and hopefully good things come from that.”

Coates will start in the centres for the Bears in the decider against Redcliffe at Kayo Stadium.

Originally published as Tensions between Titans and Jets over Fifita, the taming of Kotoni Staggs, WA media’s war on Bears