The Gold Coast Titans remain the preferred option for Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, but a stunning bid from the Canterbury Bulldogs could yet sway the star State of Origin forward.
It was revealed a little over a week ago that Justin Holbrook's axing from the club made both Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita free agents. The duo have three months from the day Holbrook was dumped to decide if they are staying with the Gold Coast or heading elsewhere.
It's believed Fifita has already received a mega deal from the Canberra Raiders, while Fa'asuamaleaui has as many as six clubs showing interest in him.
His manager Simon Mammino confirmed to News Corp that clubs have been reaching out in the forward's direction, but that nothing will be done until after Origin 3.
“Clubs are reaching out but we're leaving it alone until after Origin,” Mammino told The Daily Telegraph.
“There was anger and emotion at first. Then he cooled down and we've got three months to solve it. “He's a leader and a humble man who won't play it out in the media.”
Fa'asuamaleai has long been rated one of the best young forwards in the game. He represented Queensland under 20s in the same year that he was eligible for the 18s, and after debuting for the Melbourne Storm, made the switch to the Titans where he has become club captain and made his senior Origin debut.
He is now a permanent fixture of Billy Slater's Maroons side, and, fitness and form pending, will enjoy a long career for the Maroons and Kangaroos at international level.
It's little wonder that clubs are lining up around the block for the middle forward, and it has been revealed by the same publication that the Bulldogs have launched an audacious $4 million bid over 4 years for his services, to go with a share in a pub owned by the club's major sponsors, Laundy Hotels.
It's unclear if that has been cleared with the NRL yet, although the club have made contact with the NRL, and there is precedence, with the Melbourne Storm doing the same with players taking investment opportunities in chairman Matt Tripp's Betr.
Whether the Bulldogs have the salary cap available is questionable though.
While reports say the club could be willing to splash as much as a million per season on the Queensland representative, Canterbury's salary cap is believed to be already stretched, with the acqusition of Stephen Crichton for the 2024 season not improving that situation.
The club already have significant money tied up in Matt Burton, Reed Mahoney, Josh Addo-Carr, Tevita Pangai Junior and Viliame Kikau among others.
But there is little doubt the Bulldogs need another power player in the engine room to lead the club forward, and Fa'asuamaleaui would fit the bill nicely.
The Bulldogs, who have also spent time chasing Ben Hunt after his release request from the St George Illawarra Dragons, are looking for another marquee player as they look to turn things around after a difficult first season under Cameron Ciraldo.
Despite the mega offer from the Bulldogs, Mammino told News Corp that the preference for Fa'asuamaleaui was to remain at Robina, where he is contracted until the end of 2024, with an option to 2026.
That effectively makes him a free agent again from November 1, with the ability to sign elsewhere for 2025 even if he does stick with the Titans in 2024.
“Tino's preference is to stay at the titans,” Mammino said, “He was close to Justin but he is also very close with his teammates. He wants to win a comp with this group. To move away from family would be a big call for him although it doesn't mean he won't go.”
Fa'asuamaleaui and Fifita both have until mid-September to make a decision on their immediate futures.
Surely third-party deals are not allowed with a club sponsor, no matter what form the deal takes?
“investment opportunities in chairman Matt Tripp’s Betr” would presumably have been OK’ed by the NRL because Matt Trip is not a club sponsor.
Just a thought.