Gold Coast Titans star David Fifita shopped to NRL rivals

Injured Gold Coast star David Fifita may have played his last game for the Titans, after being sent surgery and shopped to rival clubs in an explosive development to his shock axing.

Out-of-favour Titans forward David Fifita will undergo surgery after being shopped to rival clubs in the greatest indication yet that he could be headed out of the Gold Coast.

Fifita’s future has become one of the hottest talking points in the NRL after the former Maroons wrecking ball was dumped to reserve grade by Gold Coast coach Des Hasler last week.

While his Titans teammates suffered a fifth straight defeat to the Bulldogs at Magic Round on Sunday, Fifita was making his Hostplus Cup debut for the Ipswich Jets.

He was then sent to seek a specialist’s opinion on an ankle problem he has been battling since undergoing surgery last year.

Fifita, 25, will undergo a clean-out procedure on Thursday that will keep on ice for the next month.

“He had an appointment this morning which went really well,” Hasler said on Wednesday.

“He’ll go in for keyhole surgery tomorrow and be back on deck in three-four weeks, which is really key for us.

“He is a big part of our plans going forward so we need to get him back on the paddock.

“He needed to work on some areas and think a few things through.

“The exploratory surgery has come at a good time to get that all right.

“There’ll be clear ways ahead.”

Two NRL clubs have been informally sounded out about their interest in David Fifita. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

At least two NRL clubs have been informally sounded out about their potential interest in Fifita.

The Titans said they had not formally granted Fifita permission to speak with rivals, but his future has been a talking point among clubs in recent days.

Fifita is contracted to the Titans until the end of 2026 on a deal worth about $1 million-a-season.

The clubs have been told he is willing to take a pay cut to leave the Titans.

Fifita’s agent Michael Hudson said his client’s contract status remained unchanged.

“At the moment Dave is under contract until the end of 2026,” he said.

“We will look at his future at the end of the season (when he is a free agent), but Dave’s priority right now is to make sure his foot is OK.”

Fifita and Hasler’s relationship has deteriorated since the Titans convinced Fifita to backflip on a three-year contract with the Roosters last season.

After reneging on the Roosters deal, Fifita failed to score a try for the Titans in the final 10 games of the 2024 season and was overlooked for State of Origin selection by Queensland coach Billy Slater.

He then underwent ankle surgery in the final week of the season and suffered complications which limited his pre-season training.

Des Hasler and Fifita’s relationship has soured. Picture: NRL photos

Fifita has been relegated to the bench in four of six NRL games this season, further increasing tension between him and Hasler.

Last week he reportedly requested a switch to his preferred left edge, currently occupied by in-form Maroons hopeful Beau Fermor, which contributed to his demotion to reserve grade.

The Fifita-Titans marriage now looks destined for divorce as he begins canvassing his options across the NRL, but Hasler said his relationship with the wayward forward wasn’t shaky.

“Our relationship is fine,” he said.

“I consider Tino a straight shooter, you couldn’t get anyone that shoots straighter than old Tino.

“I thought Tino was very good in his presser yesterday. He was asked the same question.

“The relationship is fine, everything is good, but it gets reported as ‘Tino tiptoes around the question’.

“Everything is good, everything is fine. There’s no issues there.

“He’s a big part of our plans.”

Fifita has had a turbulent five years on the Gold Coast since quitting the Broncos in 2020 for a $3 million deal at the Titans.

He has produced moments of brilliance, like his 17-try debut Titans season in 2021, and also gone through lean patches of form.

It now appears as though his time on the Gold Coast may be coming to an end.

Originally published as Gold Coast Titans star David Fifita shopped to NRL rivals