Newcastle Knights prop Daniel Saifiti is reportedly on the verge of confirming his future, with the Dolphins set to snare his signature for 2025.
The prop was tapped on the shoulder by the Knights in the middle of the 2024 season and asked to find a new club, despite having a year to run on his deal in the Hunter.
Newcastle are in the midst of a major roster shake up as they attempt to balance what is understood to be a badly bloated salary cap.
Adam O'Brien's side were knocked out of the finals on Saturday evening, and will now go full steam ahead in attempting to reshape the squad for 2025, with Saifiti's contract believed to be the first they want off the books.
The prop, who has commented that he is willing to find a move, but also won't cut his earnings to do so, is believed to be on around $800,000 per season in Newcastle, and the club are well aware they will have to chip in to have him move elsewhere.
It's believed the amount the Knights were willing to chip in has been a major sticking point in Saifiti's future and poential move away from the Hunter, and that it may well have ensured the St George Illawarra Dragons didn't have a proper go at the former representative forward.
News Corp are reporting however that the Dolphins - preparing for their first season under Kristian Woolf as head coach - have remained interested in securing Saifiti, and that the Knights have increased the amount they are willing to chip in to around $200,000 for the 2025 season.
That, it's understood, would be enough to get the Dolphins over the line and ensure Saifiti runs out for the Redcliffe-based outfit in Round 1 next year, with the club also hoping to have Thomas Flegler (shoulder) and Tom Gilbert (ACL) back on deck after the duo experienced major complications with their own injury recoveries.
The Dolphins' depth has been the key issue throughout their first two years in existence, but adding Saifiti to the returning duo could be a major boost for the club's middle third stocks.
It's understood Saifiti has already toured the Dolphins, and had previously undertaken a medical at the Dragons.
The Dolphins, in addition to boosting their own depth, are also looking to replace the retiring Jesse Bromwich.
