Broncos on mission to keep hold of Fifita
BRISBANE boss Paul White has vowed to fight tooth-andnail to keep David Fifita at the Broncos as a big-money bidding war breaks out with the Titans over the Queensland Origin star.
The Broncos-Titans derby on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium has taken on an explosive edge with Gold Coast launching a $5 million poaching raid for one of Brisbane’s best back-row talents in 20 years.
The game’s hottest forward prospect, Fifita remains offcontract at season’s end and stands to lose $1.5 million over the next five years if he shuns the Titans’ mega offer and stays loyal to the Broncos.
The Broncos concede they cannot afford to match the Titans’ $1 million-a-season offer for Fifita, but White believes money will not be the Maroons hulk’s only consideration when he sits down to finalise his future.
“We are confident of keeping him, I still maintain that,” White said.
“David is a wonderful young man and we have a terrific relationship with David and his mother Gwen.
“I’ve had them over to my place for dinner and I have seen their passion for the Broncos.
“Recruitment is not just a matter of who has the biggest cheque. If it was, we would lose the majority of our players.
“There are clubs who are prepared to offer more for Dave. The key is to retain them and you want to retain them all. Sometimes you can’t.
“Ben Hunt is a great example of that. We had him since he was 12 and sometimes you get a knockout blow. We couldn’t compete with the Dragons’ offer (in 2017) and there was nothing we could do,” White said.
The Roosters have been mooted as a fresh contender for Fifita but the 20-year-old has no interest in moving to Sydney, leaving the Titans as the only threat to the Broncos.