The NRL's highest paid forward David Fifita has just two suitors hot on his heels after the Canberra Raiders dropped out of the race for the back-rower's signature.
Fifita is in the final year of his Gold Coast Titans deal, which was worth in excess of $3 million over three seasons, and is in the final stages of sorting out his future.
The Titans and the Raiders were the main two landing spots for the 23-year-old before the Brisbane Broncos emerged in the eleventh hour to try and snare the ex-Bronco for 2024.
Despite Ricky Stuart's best efforts, Canberra are out of the race for the edge forward's signature after Channel 7 journalist Michelle Bishop revealed his priorities on radio Thursday morning.
“Brisbane, they are going in hard,” she told SEN.
“This is an 11th hour bid for him. They got to free up a little bit of space in their cap for him with Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler. I do know Brisbane would have gone earlier, they were absolutely interested, but salary cap was an issue.
"He's 23, he's got offers all over the joint. Ricky Stuart did his best to bring him to the nation's capital. The Titans, they want to retain him.
“My sources are telling me he's very much going to be staying in Queensland one way or another. The Raiders had hoped to retain both of them in a Millie-Boyle-Adam Elliott type situation down there (with Fifita's partner Shaylee Bent). But as I said he'll be staying in Queensland and the Raiders are out of the race.”
The forward's desire to remain in Queensland will likely see Fifita's Jillaroos star partner Shaylee Bent sign with a Queensland club in the NRLW, although the couple have made it work whilst Fifita was on the Gold Coast, whilst Bent played for the Dragons in NSW.
The former Maroon is expected to make a call within the month as the Tongan international weights up a homecoming deal to Red Hill.