RedRaider wrote:I wonder if this is why we are keeping the 30th spot open and not announcing the signing of Levi. DFJ may be 'wishing and hoping' for Bent and Fifita as a package deal. But this means both will have to leave their current homes and move to the ACT. I guess it's possible if the financial rewards are in it.
Fifita still has a year on his contract. If we are signing him it wouldn't be until next year
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I don't think for a minute we are signing him. But he may move somewhere.
But the massive overs contract he is on, means Titans may consider letting him go early to improve their cap situation - IF they have another player or two lined up to use the money on.
RedRaider wrote:I wonder if this is why we are keeping the 30th spot open and not announcing the signing of Levi. DFJ may be 'wishing and hoping' for Bent and Fifita as a package deal. But this means both will have to leave their current homes and move to the ACT. I guess it's possible if the financial rewards are in it.
Fifita still has a year on his contract. If we are signing him it wouldn't be until next year
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I don't think for a minute we are signing him. But he may move somewhere.
But the massive overs contract he is on, means Titans may consider letting him go early to improve their cap situation - IF they have another player or two lined up to use the money on.
He’s a bloody good player but we are not seeing his best at the titans. I see a possible win, win, win here. Titan move him on early agreeing to pay a chunk of his salary but freeing up cash to go elsewhere. Another club picks up a happy Fifita who finds form in a new environment and raises his own stakes. He’s definitely a player worth gambling on.
Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner confirms interest in signing David Fifita from 2024
CEO Don Furner has confirmed the Raiders are interested in luring Titans forward David Fifita to the club for the 2024 campaign. Raiders NRLW coach Darrin Borthwick's keen on signing Dragons forward Shaylee Bent, who's also Fifita's partner. The Raiders have signed around five NRLW players and they are not being hampered by the lack of an announced salary cap for 2023.
"Not really [hamstrung], I've got a fair idea what the salary cap will be - I'm on the committee - so we've made offers, we've had acceptances and we are just working through others," Furner said.
Ideally, he'd get an early release (and Titans pay freight) but even signing him for 2024 would be great.
He might be underwhelming again next year for the Titans, which is not really different to now unless we think it means he'll be unable to ever lift. That seems unlikely considering he's only 22.
But there'd also be a chance he finds form next year for the Titans and we'd have already locked him up for a salary based on his 2022.
There's no real moneyball option for a guy on his kind of money (even at the reduced rate) but we could still get a relative bargain.
It's a long shot either way but I like that it sounds like we're in the game.
I agree. I hope we get him, but the most pleasing part of all this is that we feel we have the salary cap space to make a play like this. I'm assuming he'd be taking Elliots role so can't see him being a 2023 proposition.
Ruben Daley wrote: ↑November 10, 2022, 9:01 pm
I hope there is some substance behind this.
Ideally, he'd get an early release (and Titans pay freight) but even signing him for 2024 would be great.
He might be underwhelming again next year for the Titans, which is not really different to now unless we think it means he'll be unable to ever lift. That seems unlikely considering he's only 22.
But there'd also be a chance he finds form next year for the Titans and we'd have already locked him up for a salary based on his 2022.
There's no real moneyball option for a guy on his kind of money (even at the reduced rate) but we could still get a relative bargain.
It's a long shot either way but I like that it sounds like we're in the game.
Yep. Guys like Fifta aren't moneyball buys. These are shoot your best shot for a big prize. Hope for a bullseye.
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
Wiki Special wrote: ↑November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
If that eventuated, well, as Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons would say, "Worst deal ever!"
Wiki Special wrote: ↑November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
If that eventuated, well, as Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons would say, "Worst deal ever!"
Yeah, it would be pretty lopsided but miracles can happen, haha.
It's pretty unlikely he will lose any money and his manager would also refuse a cut. His manager will tell him to stay where he is, work his butt off - how many times do you see a player 'lift' in a contract year - and play so well that he maintains his salary. He certainly has the ability and physical attributes to do just that.
Wiki Special wrote: ↑November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
I don't think they would accept a straight swap where we would continue paying the value of Whitehead's contract for the year and Titans the same for Fifita, but if we met somewhere in the middle then they might be interested.
gergreg wrote:It's pretty unlikely he will lose any money and his manager would also refuse a cut. His manager will tell him to stay where he is, work his butt off - how many times do you see a player 'lift' in a contract year - and play so well that he maintains his salary. He certainly has the ability and physical attributes to do just that.
absolutely, if I'm his manager I'm signing nothing till mid season
Riaan wrote: ↑November 12, 2022, 9:16 am
He plays off the bench for the titans one of the most over rated players in the NRL. Even paying him 700/750k would be overs to what he brings.
Riaan wrote: ↑November 12, 2022, 9:16 am
He plays off the bench for the titans one of the most over rated players in the NRL. Even paying him 700/750k would be overs to what he brings.
Wiki Special wrote: ↑November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
I don't think they would accept a straight swap where we would continue paying the value of Whitehead's contract for the year and Titans the same for Fifita, but if we met somewhere in the middle then they might be interested.
Yeah, look - as unlikely as I see my suggestion as being that was my initial thought too. Titans chip in $300K and take Whitehead at $600K which gives them $300K to buy a player or, more likely, front load a player to increase 2024/2025 Cap space. We'd then need to find $300K but clubs have shown that can generally be done.
Riaan wrote: ↑November 12, 2022, 9:16 am
He plays off the bench for the titans one of the most over rated players in the NRL. Even paying him 700/750k would be overs to what he brings.
Couldn’t disagree more.
Let's just add him to the list of "not good enough to play for Raiders" shall we.
Wiki Special wrote: ↑November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
I don't think they would accept a straight swap where we would continue paying the value of Whitehead's contract for the year and Titans the same for Fifita, but if we met somewhere in the middle then they might be interested.
Yeah, look - as unlikely as I see my suggestion as being that was my initial thought too. Titans chip in $300K and take Whitehead at $600K which gives them $300K to buy a player or, more likely, front load a player to increase 2024/2025 Cap space. We'd then need to find $300K but clubs have shown that can generally be done.
Whitehead is really happy here in Canberra and the captain. I'm not sure he wants to g0, and since he's contracted he'd need to agree.
Riaan wrote: ↑November 12, 2022, 9:16 am
He plays off the bench for the titans one of the most over rated players in the NRL. Even paying him 700/750k would be overs to what he brings.
Couldn’t disagree more.
Let's just add him to the list of "not good enough to play for Raiders" shall we.
Never said that. Just that he isn’t worth 700/750k based on his current form that has him sitting on the bench for the Titans. Tell me I’m wrong
Riaan wrote: ↑November 12, 2022, 9:16 am
He plays off the bench for the titans one of the most over rated players in the NRL. Even paying him 700/750k would be overs to what he brings.
Couldn’t disagree more.
Let's just add him to the list of "not good enough to play for Raiders" shall we.
Never said that. Just that he isn’t worth 700/750k based on his current form that has him sitting on the bench for the Titans. Tell me I’m wrong
You’re wrong - but don’t take my word for it, let’s let the market decide. Spoiler alert - the market is going to say you’re wrong as well because he’s inking a contract for more than $700/750k my friend.
Wiki Special wrote: ↑November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm
If we signed Fifita for 2024 any chance the Titans could see value in swapping him out in 2023 for an experienced player like Whitehead? Obviously some Cap gymnastics would need to take place for that to happen though.
From my perspective the Titans would be making a mistake to take two years of Whitehead but who knows how some clubs think.
I don't think they would accept a straight swap where we would continue paying the value of Whitehead's contract for the year and Titans the same for Fifita, but if we met somewhere in the middle then they might be interested.
Yeah, look - as unlikely as I see my suggestion as being that was my initial thought too. Titans chip in $300K and take Whitehead at $600K which gives them $300K to buy a player or, more likely, front load a player to increase 2024/2025 Cap space. We'd then need to find $300K but clubs have shown that can generally be done.
Whitehead is really happy here in Canberra and the captain. I'm not sure he wants to g0, and since he's contracted he'd need to agree.
I'm not a betting man, but I suspect the link between fans wanting to offload Whitehead and the desire to sign David Fifita only exists as a thought bubble on this forum.
It's clear the club has approached Fifita. It's also clear that signing him, or any other second rower, has nothing to do with offloading Elliott Whitehead.
There is exactly zero possibility that Ricky, a club great who got punted early, a guy whose faults include being far too loyal to aging clubmen is going to try and offload whitehead. Zero.
That doesn’t change the fact that if the right dollars and cents deal for 2023 and Fifita to the raiders make sense for the titans that it would happen, that sort of thing happens regularly.
Seiffert82 wrote: ↑November 13, 2022, 6:14 am
I'm not a betting man, but I suspect the link between fans wanting to offload Whitehead and the desire to sign David Fifita only exists as a thought bubble on this forum.
It's clear the club has approached Fifita. It's also clear that signing him, or any other second rower, has nothing to do with offloading Elliott Whitehead.
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I had a good chuckle at this. Very well said, but if I could make a minor edit, I would suggest the more correct wording might be:
“…..a thought bubble amongst a very select fanciful few on this forum”
Seiffert82 wrote: ↑November 13, 2022, 6:14 am
I'm not a betting man, but I suspect the link between fans wanting to offload Whitehead and the desire to sign David Fifita only exists as a thought bubble on this forum.
It's clear the club has approached Fifita. It's also clear that signing him, or any other second rower, has nothing to do with offloading Elliott Whitehead.
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If you scroll up just a little further, you will find it's also very clear that it was never raised as anything more than a thought bubble
Seiffert82 wrote: ↑November 13, 2022, 6:14 am
I'm not a betting man, but I suspect the link between fans wanting to offload Whitehead and the desire to sign David Fifita only exists as a thought bubble on this forum.
It's clear the club has approached Fifita. It's also clear that signing him, or any other second rower, has nothing to do with offloading Elliott Whitehead.
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If you scroll up just a little further, you will find it's also very clear that it was never raised as anything more than a thought bubble
Canberra Raiders ramp up bid for Titans star David Fifita
Canberra has ramped up its bid to bring the NRL’s highest-paid player to the nation’s capital. The Raiders have commenced negotiations with the management of David Fifita in a bid to lure him from the Gold Coast. Fifita, who is in the final year of a Titans deal reportedly worth $1.25 million per season, is free to negotiate with rival clubs after the November 1 transfer window date ticked by. The Raiders are targeting not only Fifita but also his partner, Shaylee Bent, for their NRLW side.
one of the most over rated players in the NRL. Even paying him 700/750k would be overs to what he brings.
