Meninga confident Fifita's best yet to come as contract call looms

“I think whoever gets him is going to get the best of David Fifita.”

WRITER | February 7, 2023 - 9:31am

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Former Maroons coach Mal Meninga has chimed in as the race for David Fifita comes down to two suitors - the Gold Coast Titans, and the Canberra Raiders.

It's a tough two to split for Meninga, with 62 year-old playing 166 games for the Raiders as well as spending five years head coaching the club, however now holds a job as the Titans' high performance senior advisor.

Meninga was the man to woo Fifita from the Broncos and deliver him to the Gold Coast Titans on a $1.2 million per season deal, however the off-contract behemoth is being seriously wooed by Ricky Stuart.

NRL Rd 3 - Cowboys v Titans — TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 28: David Fifita of the Titans celebrates after scoring a try during the round three NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Gold Coast Titans at QCB Stadium on March 28, 2021, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The Raiders have also tried to recruit Shaylee Bent, Fifita's partner and a Jillaroo, for Canberra's maiden NRLW side.

The back-rower is set to cop a significant pay-cut, reducing his yearly salary from $1.2 million to roughly $800,000, meaning he'll remain as one of the competition's highest-paid forwards.

Despite a lacklustre 2022, Meninga is confident we're about to see the best of Fifita.

“I think whoever gets him is going to get the best of David Fifita, there is no doubt about that,” Meninga told News Corp.

“And I know the Titans are really keen to keep him because they have invested a lot of time into him.”

Stuart has been using his settled halves pairing and the experience in his forward pack to sell the Raiders vision to Fifita, however it's believed the strike forward is still unclear on where to play in 2024.

At such a young age, Meninga is confident Fifita will flourish at the backend of his next deal.

“He is only 22. Most forwards don't really mature until 25 or 26, so he's had a really good start to his career.

NRL Rd 2 - Titans v Broncos — GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 19: David Fifita of the Titans celebrates during the round two NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Brisbane Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium on March 19, 2021, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

“He is finding a few hurdles at the moment, which most young kids do, particularly forward. And he has just got to keep persevering and keep learning every day.

“I know he has certainly got the work ethic and the desire and those sort of things. He has just to keep working.”

While on-field, a return to Origin football and a finals berth with the Titans will top Fifita's to-do list in 2023, however inking a new deal in the NRL is sure to be close behind.