2023 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[DavidBouveng]

I was no great supporter of Holbrooks stuttering tenure as coach but held some level of hope based on our roster. If we lose either of our best players then I’m done with the Club. Not because of sour-grapes Holbrook who I believe leaked all this to begin with but because of the inability of the Club to balance its attention to detail. The members and fans deserve better. Waiting and hoping …. but it now seems a case of the lunatics running the asylum.

agree with this 100% as far as i'd be done with the club.

We have copped a lot over the years, but finally having two players who are the heart and soul of the club, walking on a technicality...oozes mis management and lack of attention / foresight.

With Tino's manager now confirming it is true, the club not issuing a statement is disappointing to say the least.

[Hail Sezer]

agree with this 100% as far as i'd be done with the club.

We have copped a lot over the years, but finally having two players who are the heart and soul of the club, walking on a technicality...oozes mis management and lack of attention / foresight.

With Tino's manager now confirming it is true, the club not issuing a statement is disappointing to say the least.

Our god returns

Gents, you’re in the presence of LOT greatness

[Seaside Garbo]

If a player doesn't want to be at the club for whatever reason they don't need a get out clause. We have seen many players cause unrest when they want out (Ben Hunt is the latest). Maybe the Holbrook clause was the only way we could secure their signatures, if not they may have gone elsewhere.

[DavidBouveng]

Our god returns

Gents, you’re in the presence of LOT greatness

My Man!

This malarkey demanded i dust of the keyboard and venture back into the fold.

Its likely low risk, but the fact its possible at all doesn't sit well with me, and i have a permanent feeling in the pit of my stomach...

[NZTITAN]

Been a few blasts from the past returning to the fold recently! welcome back DB,

My Man!

This malarkey demanded i dust of the keyboard and venture back into the fold.

Its likely low risk, but the fact its possible at all doesn't sit well with me, and i have a permanent feeling in the pit of my stomach...

Yep, my PTSD after late-2015 when the James Roberts contract fiasco happened has resurfaced aswell lol

If we lost Tino and/or Dave catch me as NZPHIN I think, would be too embarrassed to support this club if it happens.

[5 Year Contract]

This is a monumental blunder from the club and the longer this goes on without confirmation that Tino and DF are committed the more likely this is to explode into a giant ****show that destroys the club. I agree I’ll go back and support the ****ing cowboys. If you are telling me that before they sacked Holbrook that the very FIRST they did wasn’t to ensure that this would not impact any current signed players LET ALONE your captain and arguably best player then I ****ing give up on this club, we are beyond saving.

[T0ken]

Ok so managers put these clauses in contracts all the time, players know it’s a kpi business

So the two options are - stay with Holbrook and live in choked leads and mediocrity

Or

Double down into a win now window which the club did and risk this media scuttlebutt

Personally I want players who want to be here and win. Des has a great chance of doing that, every team he walks into gets to the grand final if not wins a prem within 3 years (manly and dogs and then manly went from bottom of the ladder to top4 and then the manly front office and messed with the mojo)

If players wanna go I’m not going to wring my hands, they can go.

However I think this is a formality, the club throw 200k onto the total tino and fifis deals and this all blows over

[Cowabunga]

There's a few things I've thought of that might make this make sense from a club perspective and the timing of doing all this now taking into consideration these clauses.

Tino is on 850k a year till technically only next year with two years of mutual options. I might be wrong but this would mean that he could become a free agent next year potentially the same way as Jack Wighton if he doesn't take up the 2025 option in his contract next year. He's probably wants a million in the new cap and he's worth it.

This was always a ticking timb bomb with Holbrook being on thin ice for a year, May as well confront it straight away as dumb as the clause is. If the club let Holbrook see out his contract for the end of the year then let him go on Mad Monday, These guys would've been in the offseason and angrier and not under our watch. I don't doubt that the board has planned this due to the timing of everything lining up with the last round of the year.

Then we've constantly been linked in media with Ben Hunt with an apparent "900k" year an offer, I doubt the managers and even Tino and Fifita aren't seeing that wondering why they would get less then someone who's not played a game for the club yet.

I think this will all come down to a bump ups done behind close doors that we might not even hear about. If they had let this drag into the offseason/ next years free agency when there's potentially way more money from the salary cap going up and tonnes of clubs who'd be throwing even more at them. This will be over by the Thursday before Round 27 at latest.

[Appsy]

Can we just get a proper explanation? I swear if the club has ****ed it this badly...

[MaroonTitan]

I think T0ken and Cow are across this. I'm not concerned. Anything the club might say now may not be true. Managers do what they do for the coin. A better deal no matter where they go, is better for them personally. They know as well as anyone, their star signing is only a major injury away from retirement or a much smaller deal (when they drop them cold).

If you're a manager, you put these clauses in every deal. Clubs can't refuse. It just provides a (face-saving) way for you and your star options to make more coin in the short term. Sometimes that's in your interest, sometimes it's not. AND THIS TIME, IT'S NOT. Nobody is going anywhere yet, unless they're thinking short term, in which case, they're not our guys.

And I think it also needs saying, and I don't want to cause any offence to great contributors on here but if you want to ditch the club because it's tough being a fan, just do it. I appreciate it's been a tough run since 1988. Being a fan of a bottom-dwelling team isn't for everyone and some fans just can't do it. Do it only if you want to. Nobody is compelling you. Own yourself. Be who you want to be. If it's not a Titan, that's ok.

Personally, I love this club despite all the warts and the weird coming and goings of some of the management/players/coaches. It's a deadset hallucinogenic soap opera. But Rugby League is my religion and this is my team for good and for bad. I'll take all the bad and the moments of joy will be so much sweeter.

And DB, you're a legend! Loved watching you play.

[The Birdman]

If losing Tino and/or David Fifita in the short term is the cost of getting rid of Holbrook it'll have been worth it. He was taking us nowhere and it weeds out those that's aren't as committed to the cause as they claim.

Obviously I'd prefer the stay but no player should be able to hold the club to ransom nor are they bigger than the club.

[Gold Coast 88]

David only resigned a matter of weeks ago. The club says the review of Holbrook has been running for 12 months.
Surely when David resigned that the position of Holbrook was uncertain, then why agree to the clause?
Lets hope these clauses are removed from the contracts from here on.

- - - Updated - - -

say worst case we lose both, and the club continues its pursuit of Ben Hunt. Any player swap would be even more damaging to our depth on top of losing Tino and Fifita. Guessing Saints would push for Mo, Beau, Jojo, Weaver, JJ etc.
In that case IMO i would not pursue Hunt, losing more depth for soon to be 35 year old is not worth it.

[Gold Coast 88]

say worst case we lose both, and the club continues its pursuit of Ben Hunt. Any player swap would be even more damaging to our depth on top of losing Tino and Fifita. Guessing Saints would push for Mo, Beau, Jojo, Weaver, JJ etc.
In that case IMO i would not pursue Hunt, losing more depth for soon to be 35 year old is not worth it.

[Mini GF]

I think T0ken and Cow are across this. I'm not concerned. Anything the club might say now may not be true. Managers do what they do for the coin. A better deal no matter where they go, is better for them personally. They know as well as anyone, their star signing is only a major injury away from retirement or a much smaller deal (when they drop them cold).

If you're a manager, you put these clauses in every deal. Clubs can't refuse. It just provides a (face-saving) way for you and your star options to make more coin in the short term. Sometimes that's in your interest, sometimes it's not. AND THIS TIME, IT'S NOT. Nobody is going anywhere yet, unless they're thinking short term, in which case, they're not our guys.

And I think it also needs saying, and I don't want to cause any offence to great contributors on here but if you want to ditch the club because it's tough being a fan, just do it. I appreciate it's been a tough run since 1988. Being a fan of a bottom-dwelling team isn't for everyone and some fans just can't do it. Do it only if you want to. Nobody is compelling you. Own yourself. Be who you want to be. If it's not a Titan, that's ok.

Personally, I love this club despite all the warts and the weird coming and goings of some of the management/players/coaches. It's a deadset hallucinogenic soap opera. But Rugby League is my religion and this is my team for good and for bad. I'll take all the bad and the moments of joy will be so much sweeter.

And DB, you're a legend! Loved watching you play.

[Whats Doing]

A bit more of a positive article[

B]Hasler makes pitch to star Titans duo Tino and Fifita[/B]
Joel GouldAAP

Des Hasler has let Gold Coast forwards Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita know that they are a vital part of his long-term plans.

Fa'asuamaleaui's manager Simon Mammino told AAP incoming head coach Hasler met with the pair on the Gold Coast recently as news emerged that both had clauses in their contracts that enabled them to explore other options if former coach Justin Holbrook was dismissed.

Holbrook was sacked on June 22, the same day Hasler was announced on a three-year deal from next year and Holbrook's assistant Jim Lenihan installed as interim for the rest of 2023.

a'asuamaleaui and Fifita are now free agents but both have three months from Holbrook's sacking to enact any switch to other clubs.

Coach clauses are not the norm but also not unheard of. The Titans pair had the clauses in their deals because of their strong relationship with Holbrook, who not only signed them initially but also re-signed them to new deals.

Captain Fa'asuamaleaui is contracted until the end of 2024 and has a two-year option, while Fifita is on the books until 2026.

"They had a meet and greet with Des," Mammino told AAP.

"I will sit down with Tino after Origin and discuss his future once all the dust has settled and the emotion has gone out of the situation.

"I am pretty sure he will stay. We will work out the best way forward and at this stage that will be the Titans."

Gold Coast recruitment manager Ezra Howe is not one of the NRL's highest profile officials in the role but he has forged a close relationship with the players and is tight with Fifita and Fa'asuamaleaui, sharing a strong bond with senior advisor Mal Meninga.

Both players have expressed their desire to bring a maiden premiership to the club.

AAP has been told Fifita and Fa'asuamaleaui are focused solely on assisting the Maroons win a State of Origin clean sweep and will deal with contract matters after game three in Sydney on July 12.

"Obviously that clause has opened up but I am not focused on that. That is up to my management and my parents and my partner," Fa'asuamaleaui told the Nine Network at the Maroons' fan day in Cairns on Tuesday.

"I am focused on Queensland and securing a series win."

Asked whether he was committed to the Titans, Fa'asuamaleaui said "one hundred per cent".

"I am happy at the Titans. Obviously we had a loss (to Canberra) on the weekend but we still have a long season to build," he said.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart told News Corp that he had already contacted Fifita's management and made an offer to the boom back-rower.

In light of such interest, Hasler's meeting with the duo will come as no surprise. Fifita and Fa'asuamaleaui are two of the best forwards in the game and the Titans have no intention of losing them.

Fifita did speak to media after Holbrook's sacking, when he played a key role in the 18-12 win over Brisbane in round 17.

"To hear Justin was not there anymore was really emotional for myself and all of the boys," he said.

"He is a wonderful person and wonderful coach. We got along well together but ... (interim coach) Jimmy Lenihan and our staff are doing a wonderful job with us."