Canberra Raiders miss out on David Fifita

[Coastalraider]

Just to add an alternative theory here, would the naysayers change their tune if the first press release came out like this?

‘I went to the Titans because I believed that it was a project that was going to help me reach my full potential as a footballer. Over the past few years I’ve had fantastic conversations with Ricky, but at the time I felt that I owed the Titans, and wanted to see this project through. Justin showed faith in me by bringing me to the club and I wanted to give him my all. 2024 hasn’t worked out the way I wanted it to personally, and I feel that for me to reach my peak as a footballer I need a change of scenery and a reset, and the forward pack of the Raiders and Ricky Stuart as a coach I feel is just the environment I need to attain high standards and challenge myself amongst some of the best forward in the game.’

Just an alternate on ‘he turned us down twice, he doesn’t want to be here’ and switches to a ‘he was loyal to his team and his club mates and didn’t chase the cash’.

[greeneyed]

Yep, that would change things. But I don't for a moment think he's ever going to say that.

[Billy Walker]

It wouldn’t change things for me because they are words, and words are cheap. I’m firmly in the camp that if Fifita is an option and the coaching staff believe they can make it work then you don’t think twice about making it happen. The drivers on the player side might be greed, a desire to reach potential, a need for a new scene or anything else. The club and player will weave a feel good narrative around it, I’d suspect an element of truth a degree of fiction. At the end of the day it’s the performance that matters not the press release narrative. If Ricky thinks he can make it work then make it happen captain!

[LimeGreenMachine]

Just to add an alternative theory here, would the naysayers change their tune if the first press release came out like this?

‘I went to the Titans because I believed that it was a project that was going to help me reach my full potential as a footballer. Over the past few years I’ve had fantastic conversations with Ricky, but at the time I felt that I owed the Titans, and wanted to see this project through. Justin showed faith in me by bringing me to the club and I wanted to give him my all. 2024 hasn’t worked out the way I wanted it to personally, and I feel that for me to reach my peak as a footballer I need a change of scenery and a reset, and the forward pack of the Raiders and Ricky Stuart as a coach I feel is just the environment I need to attain high standards and challenge myself amongst some of the best forward in the game.’

Just an alternate on ‘he turned us down twice, he doesn’t want to be here’ and switches to a ‘he was loyal to his team and his club mates and didn’t chase the cash’.

You need to send this to his manager to use.

Also might want to send it to Lomax's manager for when he leaves for the Eels

[Botman]

Agreed
The words are optics
I don’t particularly give a **** about optics
If he wanted leave and come here I could t care less if he knocked us back before, and I don’t much care what he says in a presser

I very much agree it’s all moot and I can’t see any reason he’d opt out

[Colk]

If he wanted to come, we’d be mad to care about the circumstances.

We need a big signing more than anything else.

[Seiffert82]

If he wanted to come, we’d be mad to care about the circumstances.

We need a big signing more than anything else.

I'm sure that's exactly what the Titans thought too. Not going crash hot for them I'm afraid.

Fifita would only be a part of a much bigger jigsaw puzzle. He'd potentially add to what we're building, but he's not the gateway for a bunch of superstar players coming to Canberra to play for unders, in the hope of a premiership.

7, 9 and 1. That's where our focus needs to be. That's where every successful team should be focussed. Going into his fourth season, David Fifita ultimately hasn't changed a thing for the Titans.

Their winningest season since 2016 was 2021. Guess who their halfback was.

[-PJ-]

If he wanted to come, we’d be mad to care about the circumstances.

We need a big signing more than anything else.

I'm sure that's exactly what the Titans thought too. Not going crash hot for them I'm afraid.

Fifita would only be a part of a much bigger jigsaw puzzle. He'd potentially add to what we're building, but he's not the gateway for a bunch of superstar players coming to Canberra to play for unders, in the hope of a premiership.

7, 9 and 1. That's where our focus needs to be. That's where every successful team should be focussed. Going into his fourth season, David Fifita ultimately hasn't changed a thing for the Titans.

Their winningest season since 2016 was 2021. Guess who their halfback was.

Was it Wes Patten ?

[Seiffert82]

If he wanted to come, we’d be mad to care about the circumstances.

We need a big signing more than anything else.

I'm sure that's exactly what the Titans thought too. Not going crash hot for them I'm afraid.

Fifita would only be a part of a much bigger jigsaw puzzle. He'd potentially add to what we're building, but he's not the gateway for a bunch of superstar players coming to Canberra to play for unders, in the hope of a premiership.

7, 9 and 1. That's where our focus needs to be. That's where every successful team should be focussed. Going into his fourth season, David Fifita ultimately hasn't changed a thing for the Titans.

Their winningest season since 2016 was 2021. Guess who their halfback was.

Was it Wes Patten ?

*checks notes

Nope, not Wes Patten

I guess I should be clear that I'm not saying Fog is the key to success, just that I don't think signing a "big name" makes us a serious contender. We need to be smart with signings. Paying overs for big names would be a disaster for this club IMO.

Our current spine is being paid peanuts compared to most of the NRL. Good luck keeping that in check if your forward pack is taking up your cap space, which is already where we are headed.

[dubby]

Ash Taylor

[Seiffert82]

Ash Taylor

2021 has been the only time the Titans made the finals since 2016 (despite having a losing record both those seasons). In fact, the Titans haven't had a winning record since 2010.

Jamal Fogarty was their halfback in 2021.

Point is, signing Fifita from the Broncos has done bugger all for the Titans recruitment record, despite the beach and bikinis.

Good player, however no elite spine player makes a career move based on us having a quality second rower.

[-TW-]

Ash Taylor

2021 has been the only time the Titans made the finals since 2016 (despite having a losing record both those seasons). In fact, the Titans haven't had a winning record since 2010.

Jamal Fogarty was their halfback in 2021.

Point is, signing Fifita from the Broncos has done bugger all for the Titans recruitment record, despite the beach and bikinis.

Good player, however no elite spine player makes a career move based on us having a quality second rower.

Fun fact about that year we finished equal points with the Titans, just had a horrific for and against.

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[Seiffert82]

Ash Taylor

2021 has been the only time the Titans made the finals since 2016 (despite having a losing record both those seasons). In fact, the Titans haven't had a winning record since 2010.

Jamal Fogarty was their halfback in 2021.

Point is, signing Fifita from the Broncos has done bugger all for the Titans recruitment record, despite the beach and bikinis.

Good player, however no elite spine player makes a career move based on us having a quality second rower.

Fun fact about that year we finished equal points with the Titans, just had a horrific for and against.

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Haha, that's right! We won 4 of 12 home games that season and almost stumbled into the finals. Quality season.

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[dubby]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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[The Nickman]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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2016 we almost made the grand final.

[Azza]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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2016 we almost made the grand final.

Another Dubois ?

[Rickmando]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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2016 was the only exciting style of we’ve rolled out in the past decade! We were an attacking powerhouse that year, randomly

[The Nickman]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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2016 we almost made the grand final.

Another Dubois ?

I doubt it. I don't think he's clever enough to set a cunning dubois trap like that.

[dubby]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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2016 we almost made the grand final.

Another Dubois ?

Exactly

[The Nickman]

Oh, come on now.

[Azza]

2016 was such a disappointment after 2015.

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2016 was the only exciting style of we’ve rolled out in the past decade! We were an attacking powerhouse that year, randomly

Our defence was pretty good in the latter stages of that season as well

If we hadn’t mentally caved in that first final versus Cronulla, the outcome may have been very different

Anyway, back on topic, I hope Andrew signs

[El_Capitano]

I would like to get Fifita but not if his contract has any more get out clauses attached


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[greeneyed]

Titans star David Fifita yet to decide future

Gold Coast star David Fifita still hasn’t recommitted to the Titans ahead of a clause in his contract that allows him to exit his deal with the club after Round 10. The Titans play the Raiders on Sunday, the club which has shown the most interest in the Maroons back rower, and just over a month out from Round 10, Fifita hasn’t yet told his current team what he intends to do.

Read more: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... c318155fbd

[Seiffert82]

Well good on you David Fifita, lol.

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[Roger Kenworthy]

I think it's at the stage where he'd be taking a substantial haircut to leave the Titans. Yesterday was an example where you want your million dollar players stepping up in crunch time. Fifita was largely unsighted, he did get snapped in half by Ata at one stage.

He'll be staying put on the massive coin.

[-PJ-]

Well good on you David Fifita, lol.

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Yeah, as I go about my day I’ll remember David hasn’t decided yet..

[Seiffert82]

Well good on you David Fifita, lol.

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Yeah, as I go about my day I’ll remember David hasn’t decided yet..

Haha. Yeah I think we can all join in on that one.

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[Billy Walker]

I wasn’t impressed with him last night. It was one game and he is returning from injury but he didn’t look like a million dollar player.

[Bloody_Burnham]

I wasn’t impressed with him last night. It was one game and he is returning from injury but he didn’t look like a million dollar player.

That's because he is the new Super 8/Dave Taylor. Lacks the motor and fitness to be a consistent player every game.

[Billy Walker]

I wasn’t impressed with him last night. It was one game and he is returning from injury but he didn’t look like a million dollar player.

That's because he is the new Super 8/Dave Taylor. Lacks the motor and fitness to be a consistent player every game.

As Botman pointed out, despite the eye test his numbers were pretty good

[-PJ-]

It’s been nearly 12hrs since we heard David was yet to decide on his future.

[The Nickman]

It’s been nearly 12hrs since we heard David was yet to decide on his future.

Exciting times! Really looking forward to hearing him decide he's not interested in coming to Canberra for about the fifteenth time

[-TW-]

Then he'll have a get out clause cause des looked at him the wrong way and we'll wheel the ramp out again

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[Old School Green]

Then he'll have a get out clause cause des looked at him the wrong way and we'll wheel the ramp out again

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Keen to get eyes on the much fabled ramp. Have just fired off an email to the Chief Minister; Forget a roof, wherever the new stadium is there must be in-built premium ramp storage with easy access to wheel her out as needed.

[Dusty]

David Riccio reporting that the Raiders are interested in going in again for David Fifita... With the loss of Hosking, they have revived interest.