Gold Coast Titans outside back Jojo Fifita is set to add two years to his time at the club with a new contract, and it could be the catalyst for him to shift in from the wing.
In recent weeks, it has been widely reported that Fifita is in the final stages of negotiations with the club.
News Corp is now reporting that the deal for Fifita to remain at Parkwood through the end of 2027 - a two-year extension on his current contractโis locked in.
It's a big boost for the Titans, who also recently re-signed Jojo's brother Viliami to a four-year extension as he progresses through the future Titans program.
Pending his progress, the 16-year-old is almost certain to debut for the Titans at the back end of his extension.
With Jojo's contract now locked in, albeit not yet officially announced by the Gold Coast administration, it is being reported he could target a positional change into the centres through the life of his new contract.
Exactly how that works for Des Hasler's team remains to be seen, but there is little doubt the 21-year-old could handle the switch if it comes to be after scoring 10 tries in 19 games throughout the 2024 campaign to take his career tally to 16 in 41 games.
He has had limited NRL experience in the centres, and while it's a major shift in terms of positional play, Fifita stands at 183 centimetres and weighs 97 kilograms - the physique of a player who could certainly lift to playing one in from the wing.
The Titans have questions over their outside backs, although some of that could yet be dictated by what happens in the spine.
AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell and Keano Kini are all in the mix for the fullback spot, and all good enough to be in the run on 13 each week for Hasler's side.
While Brimson or Campbell could shuffle to five-eighth, that could yet hamper the development of former Wallaby Carter Gordon, and even if that did happen, there is a very real chance Brimson will have a second experiment in the centres to start 2025.
Brian Kelly and Phillip Sami are the most likely players to feature in the centres outside of Brimson, while Fifita would likely run out on the wing alongside breakout star Alofiana Khan-Pereira in a full-strength Titans' 17.
There are questions over Kelly and Sami, given their form in recent seasons, though, while youngster Tony Francis will also be pushing for a spot in the centres - and a new contract - during the 2025 campaign.
