Panthers’ $1m warning shot in shock move that could trigger Fifita bidding war

David Fifita of the Titans is a wanted man. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

David Fifita is a wanted man, with three clubs now in the running to lure the Titans forward away from the Gold Coast.

David Fifita’s future on the Gold Coast is up in the air with three clubs now linked to the Titans superstar.

Fifita is a wanted man, with the Penrith Panthers sparking a three-team race for the Titans forward after meeting with him in Sydney.

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Fifita has been in outstanding form for the Titans, who are playing much better football of late than their ladder position of 16th suggests.

Fifita has a clause in his contract for next year, but he needs to trigger it by Thursday at 8pm, which is when Round 10 gets underway.

If he doesn’t, Fifita will be a free to sign with any team for 2025 and beyond.

According to the SMH’s Michael Chammas, Fifita flew into Sydney on Sunday to meet with Panthers coach Ivan Cleary before Penrith formally made a three-year offer worth $850,000 a season.

David Fifita of the Titans runs the ball. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

“They’ve expressed interest in his services, it hasn’t gone to the point of an offer, but they do want to meet with David Fifita to discuss his motivation for potentially leaving the Gold Coast Titans,” Chammas said.

“They do have close to a $1 million in the salary cap now available to them.”

The Panthers have lost a raft of players to free agency in recent seasons, with the back-to-back-to-back premiers feeling the salary cap squeeze.

One of those players is star front rower James Fisher-Harris, who is departing Penrith at the end of the season to head to the Warriors, which will clear up close to $1 million a season from the cap as Chammas alluded to.

Despite the fact Fifita could fetch seven figures on the open market, it has been reported that Penrith aren’t willing to offer that much.

Ivan Cleary was asked about Fifita on Monday. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

“Respectfully, I’m not going to comment on recruitment today,” Ivan Cleary said on Monday.

“It’s a very sensitive issue, all recruitment, and it affects a lot of people, clubs, players, agents, families, and I think we’ve already filled our quota for recruitment stories this year.”

Now the Dragons have reportedly come to the table according to The Daily Telegraph and have scheduled a meeting of their own.

Fifita is set to sit down with Shane Flanagan and Red V powerbrokers, armed with the $850,000 they were set to pay Zac Lomax in 2025.

With other players off contract and extra cap space, the Dragons could table an offer in excess of that figure and blow the Panthers out of the water.

The Roosters have also entered the race with a four-year, $3.3 million bid – at $825,000 a season – lodged on Monday according to the SMH.

A decision is expected in the next 48 hours.

Originally published as Panthers’ $1m warning shot in shock move that could trigger Fifita bidding war