TITANS SIGN $2M TEEN
THE Titans have braced for the loss of Queensland Origin forward Jai Arrow by signing highly rated Melbourne teenager Tino Fa’asuamaleaui on a $2 million deal.
The Junior Kangaroo has signed a three-year contract to join the Titans from 2021.
THE Titans have braced for the loss of Queensland Origin forward Jai Arrow by signing highly rated Melbourne teenager Tino Fa’asuamaleaui on a $2 million deal.
Fa’asuamaleaui has signed a bumper three-year contract to join the Titans from 2021, but could be on the Gold Coast earlier if the Storm are open to negotiating a release.
His acquisition comes as the Titans prepare to lose Arrow to South Sydney.
The Rabbitohs are confident of snaring Arrow on a four-year deal worth $3.2 million from 2021 and will look to lure him to Redfern immediately to replace the recently retired Sam Burgess.
Arrow’s contract could be finalised as early as today.
The Titans have stated they would not be open to releasing Arrow from the final year of his contract, but the NRL player market is an ever-changing beast.
Arrow, 24, is currently in camp with the Titans in Coffs
Harbour but all parties want his future finalised by the weekend. He is unlikely to accept a three-year extension to remain at the Titans.
The impending loss of Arrow has been somewhat softened for the Titans by the signing of Queensland under-20s forward Fa’asuamaleaui, regarded as one of the game’s brightest talents.
A Junior Kangaroos and Samoan international, the 19year-old made five NRL appearances for the Storm towards the end of the 2019 season and was viewed by Melbourne as a long-term prospect.
But the Titans’ offer of nearly $700,000-a-season proved too much to resist for the Gympie product. Fa’asuamaleaui is also believed to have family near the Gold Coast.
Fa’asuamaleaui is Titans culture chief Mal Meninga’s first genuine recruitment coup since he joined the club in November last year and is in line to replace Kevin Proctor in the Gold Coast’s backrow if the Titans opt not to resign the forward.
“Tino has already proven to be one of the most promising young players in the game and we’re excited to have him joining the Titans,” Titans coach Justin Holbrook said.
“His signing is a huge win for the club considering the high-demand and interest there was in Tino from a number of NRL clubs.”
The Storm confirmed they were not in a position to compete with the money offered by the Titans. off-contract
Kiwi