Sport Confidential: Titans chase big-name replacement to cover David Fifita’s potential exit
The Titans are considering making a big-money play for a Maroons star should free agent David Fifita fails to stay on the Gold Coast.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Could Cowboys sensation Jeremiah Nanai find himself on the Glitter Strip?
Sport Confidential understands the Titans are considering making a big-money play for Nanai as an Plan B recruitment option in the event that $1 million back-rower David Fifita fails to remain at the Gold Coast.
A free agent since November 1, Fifita is off-contract at season’s end and faces a major pay cut at the Titans after a frustrating 2022 campaign in which he was axed to the bench at one stage.
While the Titans want to keep Fifita, it will be at a vastly reduced rate, opening the door for a number of NRL rivals to pounce on the Tongan Test ace.
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett is close to Fifita and with the new franchise struggling to find a marquee recruit, the former Broncos back-rower may consider reuniting with the super coach to revitalise his NRL career in 2024.
Should Fifita seek a fresh start, the Titans believe Nanai would be a ready-made replacement.
The 19-year-old is the finest emerging back-rower in the code after an outstanding campaign in which Nanai scored 17 tries from 23 games, made his Queensland Origin debut and rocketed into Australia’s World Cup squad.
Fifita departing the Titans would give the Gold Coast $1 million to go shopping - and the off-contract Nanai, who plays in the same position, is the perfect target.
Nanai only signed a one-year deal earlier this season, now making him a free agent.
Since November 1, he has fielded several monster offers, with one Sydney-based club tabling a five-year deal worth $800,000 for the first three seasons and $900,000 for the remaining two - a $4.2 million package.
If the decision was solely about money, Nanai would quit the Cowboys, but North Queensland are confident they will retain the classy back-rower in the wake of a fairytale 2022 campaign that saw Todd Payten’s troops shock the league by qualifying for the preliminary final.
North Queensland football boss Micheal Luck said the Cowboys will look to begin extension negotiations with Nanai when he returns from his World Cup break.
“We know there will be interest and we would like to think as soon as he comes back home we can begin discussions again about securing him long term,” Luck said.
“We understand other clubs will come in with big offers, but we would love him to see out his career here.
“We’ll put forward a package that makes Jeremiah and his family comfortable with his future here.
“We’re confident our offer will be competitive regardless of what other clubs are offering and we’d like to think at this stage of Jeremiah’s career he is confident in our club and the direction we’re heading in.”
‘GODFATHER’ UNSIGHTED BRONCOS DOCO
The Broncos are putting together a historic documentary to ensure their glory years are never forgotten.
The brainchild of Broncos coach Kevin Walters, the club has put together a film for their digital archives to educate current staff and players on Brisbane’s premiership-winning reign under Wayne Bennett.
Walters has driven the project in conjunction with Brisbane’s Old Boys as a virtual time-capsule reminder of those who dug the well as the Broncos charged to six premierships in a golden era between 1992-2006.
The Broncos haven’t won a title for 16 years - the longest premiership drought in the club’s history — and virtually a generation of Brisbane players have passed through the gates of Red Hill without delivering silverware.
No man knows success at the Broncos like Walters. The 241-game legend featured in five of Brisbane’s six premierships and captained the Broncos in their 2000 grand-final defeat of the Roosters.
.
Walters is keen to show the documentary to Brisbane’s current squad as a further motivational tool as his class of 2023 look to deliver the club’s seventh premiership next season.
A key interview subject was one of the club’s four founding fathers Barry Maranta, who, at age 87, impressed with his sharp mind.
It was Maranta’s faith in Bennett, who was in danger of being sacked after Brisbane missed the finals in 1988-89, which eventually saw the foundation coach deliver the club’s watershed premiership in 1992.
Intriguingly, Brisbane’s only other surviving founder, Steve Williams, declined to take part in the special project.
The Broncos’ two other founders, Paul ‘Porky’ Morgan and Gary Balkin, have passed away, the latter more recently in 2018.
Broncos Leagues Club will be the scene of Brisbane’s Men of League Christmas Lunch starting 12pm on Friday, December 2.
For $35, guests will enjoy two courses and drinks as they listen to guest interviews featuring Broncos legend Matt Gillett and former ARL Commission boss John Grant.
Contact qldevents@menofleague.com or phone (07) 3367 6002 to be part of Brisbane’s Men of League festivities.
BENNETT LAUNCHES $1M EELS RAID
Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins have launched a $1 million poaching bid for Dylan Brown, plunging Parramatta into a big-money battle to retain the boom Test playmaker.
Sport Confidential can reveal the Dolphins have begun negotiations to make Brown the club’s franchise player — and NRL’s next millionaire — as super coach Bennett turns up the heat on the Eels.
The 22-year-old is off-contract next season and is officially a free agent in the wake of a breakout season that saw him pilot Parramatta to the grand final before starring for New Zealand at the recent World Cup.
Brown is happy at Parramatta, but the Dolphins are armed with a mega offer that threatens to put major salary-cap pressure on the Eels.
The Dolphins have told Brown’s management they are prepared to pay at least $1 million a season and the new expansion franchise has the salary-cap scope to pay more if required.
Bennett is also open to a long-term offer, meaning a four or five-year package could be worth in excess of $5 million for the Kiwi Test star.
Dolphins recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan is an unabashed fan of Brown. He has made a rich play for him before. Sullivan, while at the Warriors, offered Brown a six-year, $2.69 million contract in 2019 – before he had played first grade for the Eels.
It would have been the richest deal for a player yet to make their NRL debut.
The Warriors are also likely to come circling for Brown with Shaun Johnson expected to retire at the end of 2023.
Brown’s current Eels deal is worth around $800,000 a season and while Parramatta want to keep him long term, they have the added complication of halves partner Mitchell Moses also being free to sign with rival clubs for 2024.
Moses is being courted by his former club Wests Tigers who could make him the highest-paid player in the game should he switch clubs.
The Eels have made it clear they can retain both representative players.
Having missed out on Cameron Munster, the Dolphins are under pressure to land a franchise player and Bennett confirmed he has Brown on his hit list.
“It comes back to the quality of player and he (Brown) is a quality player,” Bennett said.
“I saw him play for New Zealand (at the World Cup) and I thought he played really well.
“If he goes to the open market and he wants to leave Parramatta, we will be interested.”
Brown was a second-receiver sensation for the Eels last season, scoring 11 tries from 28 games, supplemented by 3524 running metres, 17 try assists and 16 line-break assists.
The Eels pivot, currently holidaying in Europe after his Kiwis were bundled out of the World Cup by Australia in the semi-finals, is set to meet with the Dolphins when he returns home.
“There is no doubt he is happy at Parramatta,” his manager Chris Orr said. “Dylan has a great relationship with everyone at the club and it would take a massive deal to pull him out of the club.
“If any other clubs, including the Warriors, Dolphins or Titans, are interested and wishing to put their position forward to Dylan, then at that time we will sit down and consider all options.”
CRICHTON BAN COMES AT HISTORIC COST
Angus Crichton has had his World Cup suspension halved after Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga successfully argued a downgrade on his backrower’s behalf.
Crichton was originally rubbed out for two Sydney Roosters matches next year after his raised elbow left Samoan Chanel Harris-Tavita unable to finish the match because of a concussion.
The handling of the incident was heavily criticised by Samoan coach Matt Parish who believed Crichton should have been sent off – not sin-binned – for his actions which happened during Australia’s 30-10 World Cup win.
Meninga represented Crichton at a World Cup judiciary hearing overnight and successfully had his charge downgraded to one game.
“The tribunal came to the conclusion that the actions of the player were not reckless, but they were careless,” a World Cup statement read. “Accordingly, the offence was regraded and the tribunal reached the conclusion that the most appropriate punishment is a one-match suspension rather than a two-match suspension as submitted by the match review panel.”
The judiciary panel includes ex-Roosters enforcer Adrian Morley, former Great Britain star Alan Hunt and legal heavyweight John Thackray.
Crichton apologised to Harris-Tavita after the match. He will now miss the Roosters’ historic round one clash against the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium on March 5.
He will return to face the Raiders in round two.
TSZYU-ZERAFA RE-MATCH BOMBSHELL
Plans are underway for Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa to finally settle their bitter feud in a proposed $5 million grudge match.
Sport Confidential can reveal the Tszyu and Zerafa camps have held secret talks for the warring duo to eventually square off in the wake of their Australian super fight sensationally collapsing last year.
Zerafa made his return to the ring on Wednesday night as the headline act on a card put together by No Limit, the very promotional firm that has Tszyu as the top dog in their stable.
Tszyu was due to fight Zerafa in July 2021, only for ‘Pretty Boy’ to drop a bombshell, withdrawing seven days before the bout citing travel concerns related to Covid.
The son of Kostya will now fight for a world-title against Jermell Charlo in January, but if he loses to the American, a big-money domestic showdown with Zerafa next year is on the cards.
Zerafa’s manager of eight years Sam Labruna, who recently split with the Melbourne fighter, confirmed he held talks earlier this year with No Limit for a blockbuster bout with Tszyu.
“Matt Rose (No Limit boss) came to Melbourne and we had talks about doing another Tszyu fight,” Labruna said.
“The Tszyu-Zerafa fight will eventually happen. I know the money being offered. I have already met with Matt Rose and we’ve spoken.
“It’s on the cards, so let’s see what happens.
“I think the fight will eventually happen and that’s why Zerafa is fighting on this No Limit card.
“It’s the biggest money-making fight in Australia and if Tszyu loses to Charlo, him fighting Michael Zerafa next year is a genuine possibility.”
Zerafa said of Tszyu on Tuesday: “We’ll definitely cross paths, he knows that and I know that.
“He knows there is more to the situation on why the fight didn’t happen last time.
“Once he gets knocked out by Charlo, he will have to build himself back up and I will be ready to go.”
TITANIC BID FOR KNIGHTS RAKE
Newcastle are again in discussions with a rival club about a potential player swap just a week after doing a deal with the Tigers.
Fresh from the Jackson Hastings-David Klemmer deal the Knights are now in talks with the Titans who are keen on securing back-up rake Chris Randall.
The Titans want to offer Randall a multi-year deal and see him as perfect cover for their new recruit Sam Verrills at dummy half.
Randall still has 12 months left on his deal at Newcastle. The Knights and Titans are in conversations about a potential player swap which could include giant winger Greg Marzhew joining Newcastle if the Knights let Randall go.
Marzhew is also off-contract at the end of next year and is unlikely to be given a multi-year extension at the Titans.
Randall provided excellent cover for the Knights this year after Jayden Brailey was sidelined for a large chunk of the year.
Brailey is an 80-minute player but the Knights also have a host of players in their squad who could relieve him including utilities Kurt Mann and Phoenix Crossland.
Marzhew and winger Dom Young would give the Knights two strong ball-carries on each of their flanks.
PANGAI POWER: TEVITA GETS SERIOUS
Bulldogs powerhouse and former Bronco Tevita Pangai Jnr could succeed Paul Gallen as the NRL’s next pay-per-view boxing star.
Gallen’s retirement from boxing on Wednesday night has created a vacancy for a new rugby league pugilist and the hulking ‘TPJ’ could be that man.
Pangai Jnr is unbeaten in two professional bouts and in the wake of his brutal second-round knockout of Jerry Tupai earlier this month, the Bulldogs back-rower is getting serious about the fight game.
The 26-year-old has made it clear he has no interest in fighting other NRL players. He only wants to take on professionals in a sign of his determination to succeed as a fully-fledged heavyweight boxer.
The 111kg has already displayed his ferocious knockout power and his trainer, former Australian super lightweight champion Chris McCullen, believes Pangai Jnr can be a smash hit.
“I rate Tevita big time as a fighter,” McCullen said.
“He is very dedicated to boxing - he is genuinely trying to be a good boxer.
“Obviously he is making good money in the NRL, but he could be a decent heavyweight at Australian level if that is the way he wanted to go.”
TURBO’S BOLD STATEMENT
Manly star Jake Trbojevic has backed the club’s decision to give Anthony Seibold another chance in coaching as the former South Sydney and Brisbane coach counts down the days until he takes over at the Sea Eagles.
Seibold jets into Sydney this before taking the reins of Manly from Tuesday.
Trbojevic believes Seibold deserves another chance in coaching.
“I think he does, I really think he does,” Trbojevic said.
“He made a good impression back in 2016 and he was really, really good at the Rabbitohs.
“Even in his first year at Brisbane they made the [top] eight. I think he has great attention to detail, I know that.
“Seeing the way he has gone off - he says he has learned his lessons and worked in another sport - I think that experience will be good for us and I reckon good for our group.”
Trbojevic confirmed he has spoken to Seibold since he was announced as Des Hasler’s replacement.
“I had a little chat and I have worked with him back in 2016, so I know him fairly well,” he said.
“I am looking forward to it. I think he is a really good guy, a really good coach. I think it will be good for us.”
PANTHERS UP THE ANTE FOR SUPER SAMOANS
Penrith have launched a multimillion-dollar bid to prevent Samoan World Cup stars Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton quitting the premiers.
To’o and Crichton have been key weapons in Penrith’s premiership charge, but the Panthers are mindful of big-money poaching raids for the backline sensations, who are off-contract next season.
That has prompted the back-to-back champions to move swiftly, kicking off extension talks in a bid to keep To’o and Crichton at the foot of the Blue Mountains well beyond the 2023 season.
Crichton has been consistently linked with new expansion club the Dolphins, but the Panthers remain confident they will prevail in a bidding war for the classy 22-year-old.
To’o, the tackle-busting winger failed to make the NRL’s Rich 100 list this season, but Penrith plan to remedy that and will table a lucrative deal to ensure the Samoan flyer remains an excitement machine on the premiers’ flanks.
GET YOUR GUNS OUT
The battle of the biceps is happening in Sydney on Saturday night. The Australian Armwrestling Federation’s National Armwrestling Titles will be held at the Star after a three year Covid-19 enforced absence.
Amateur armwrestlers are free to compete against seasoned professionals as they look the World Armwrestling Federation’s World Championships next year.
The titles will run in a double-elimination style format - two losses and you’re out - and be split into 70kg, 80kg, 90kg, 100kg and 100kg+ divisions for male entrants and under/over 65kg classes for females. Entry fee is $70 for one arm or $95 for both.
IMMORTAL’S HAND
A heartfelt phone call from Andrew Johns has inspired a young South Sydney star to keep fighting as he battles a rare form of cancer.
Johns and the rugby league community are rallying around outstanding young talent Taine Woodford, whose footy career has been gut-wrenchingly put on hold as he fights testicular cancer.
Woodford’s condition is unique in that doctors discovered a 12cm tumour positioned between his lungs and heart.
Poached by the Rabbitohs at the start of this season after being named St George Illawarra’s SG Ball Player of the Year last year, Woodford has just turned 20 and is undergoing chemotherapy.
In the background, the footy family is rallying around Woodford, with a phone call from Johns, just the start.
Aside from a Go Fund Me page to help cover medical costs, Canterbury legend Andrew Ryan is planning to auction a “day with the Bulldogs players” at an upcoming fundraising dinner.
The Rabbitohs and Dragons have also organised prizes and memorabilia, while former Broncos forward Rhys Kennedy has organised a signed Brisbane jersey.
The fundraiser will be held on Saturday night, December 3 at the Adelaide Hotel, Moruya.
Tickets are $30 with more details on the Facebook page of Moruya-Tuross rugby league club.
FLASHBACK
Ricky Ponting’s career was near its end on this day 10 years ago. Ponting scored just four in the opening innings against South Africa. He played one more Test before retiring.
More Coverage
Originally published as Sport Confidential: Titans chase big-name replacement to cover David Fifita’s potential exit
Bulldogs ramp up Hunt chase after missing out on Storm star
The Bulldogs are set to turn their attention back to Ben Hunt, after Canterbury supremo Phil Gould failed in a secret last-ditch attempt to poach Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Ex-NRL star’s impressive heavyweight KO
Alex Leapai Jr, a promising NRL front-rower before making the switch to boxing, has impressed with a dominant knockout.