2024 Season General Discussion Thread

[Titslover]

Sucks that we have a bye so early, but otherwise that's a great start to the season. Need to start with at least 3/4 wins.

[Titanic]

Gee, even that’s 5 from 5 if we’re fair dinkum.

[Whats Doing]

Magic Round is against the knights as the last game again!!

[hungryjacks]

I know Manly last year who had a bye in 2nd round took their trail matches alot more seriously and I think played 1 extra one with more of their first grade squad. Maybe we will do the same this year to make full use of the bye round, or maybe we will not.

[ozynorts]

Magic Round is against the knights as the last game again!!

Yep that really sh1ts me. The last game needs to be shared around more.

[Hail Sezer]

Cam Ferguson talking about week 1 of pre season

[T0ken]

We will go to NZ to face the warriors on Anzac Day meaning we probably get the bye the week after or play Sunday

Also apparently we go to brookvale around round 20 to give manly a desolation

I’ve seen people posting newscorpse paywalled draw info on twitter so grain of salt and all that

[Whats Doing]

The Titans recruitment sure know how to make the club unstable. You just dont hear this crap from the top tier clubs and we are still just amateurs.

NRL news: David Fifita’s shock Round 10 Des Hasler clause opens door for Gold Coast Titans exit

Four months after trumpeting their mega contract extension of David Fifita, it can be revealed the Gold Coast Titans star could be back on the NRL open market in 2025.

Gold Coast superstar David Fifita has become a shock addition to the player market after it emerged that he had a Des Hasler clause in his contract that allows him to join a rival club in 2025.

The Titans announced a three-year extension with Fifita in August but Sunday Sesh can reveal the new deal included player options for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

It means Fifita effectively became a free agent on November 1. This masthead understands the secret clause had nothing to do with money, but was purely put in his contract to ensure Fifita had time to strike up a relationship with Hasler.

Under the terms of the clause, it is believed Fifita has until round 10 to take up a deal with the Titans for 2025 or sign elsewhere.

The Queensland State of Origin forward is understood to be on a contract at the Gold Coast that pays him almost $1 million a season, making him one of the highest paid forwards in the NRL.

However, Fifita had a close relationship with former coach Justin Holbrook and seriously considered leaving when he was sacked midway through last season.

He and captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui were convinced to stay after a series of meetings with Hasler, but Fifita wanted some protections in his new deal to ensure he enjoyed life under Hasler.

Fa’asuamaleaui signed a deal until the end of 2033, although he has an out clause after the 2026 season.

Fifita is the more immediate concern for Hasler and the Titans. It is understood he has no desire to leave the club but wants to see how the Gold Coast operate under Hasler before he commits his future to the Titans.

[willhelm]

Eh we’ll see

Don’t trust any journo that says masthead though

Dunno where/why that stupid trend started

[Cowabunga]

Thought we'd at least get a season without this stuff starting up again but what can you do with this club. I'm not fussed about the situation but the fact it could be another media blow up that we don't need is so stupid. I'd rather the club just be honest when the announcements are made, All this stuff coming out after these announcements that jerk themselves off and get everyone excited then some big clause seems to come out.

[Appsy]

So Fifita and Tino have the possibility of leaving again? What was the point of all the contract **** if they're gonna have the same ****en contracts??

[Titanic]

We can question the veracity of the reporting but you couldn’t dream that stuff up … I am getting tired of the big-noting coming from our CEO. This is just as destabilizing as the original crap and if Fifita thinks life under Holbrook is a better option that actually training hard and defending like the man mountain he is then what can you say … ? Talk about the inmates running the asylum, sheesh … and don’t hold your breath waiting for the Club to respond. Also who would leak such stuff other than the player worried that he might have to enter the dojo or the Kumul cameo coach, take your pick.

It’s all speculation but having an off-season rant is invigorating.

[hungryjacks]

You can talk about how star players should show absolute loyalty and dedication all you want but the truth is they are highly desired all the time and are completely within their right to negotiate for favorable conditions within contracts and receive them as a notion of good will from the club.

[Whats Doing]

As well as this issue playing out in the media for the first 10 rounds, This puts unnecessary pressure on Des consciously or sub-conciously. Does he not go soft on Fifita when required so as to not upset him. Does Des play players that are best mates with Fifita when other players are more deserving.

This is just so unnecessary and destabilising. You don’t hear if such clauses in contracts at Penrith, Storm, Roosters or Broncis.

We know that Hunt had similar clauses with the Dragons and we know how that had turned out.

[MaroonTitan]

I think Des will be Des. None of this will affect how he coaches and his team selections. DF won't get any favours. Des' thinking will be: if he wants to stay, he'll stay. If he doesn't, lets not put up with de-stability and move on.

Either party of these contracts can get out of them in any number of ways, as we've seen, regardless of whether these clauses exist. Des' message will be that if you don't believe in the project or if it's too hard for you, go. That message will be clear to all the players, if it isn't already. What we'll get from that is a squad of committed players doing their best with no bs.

Trust in Des.