The Gold Coast Titans have confirmed Joseph Vuna will join their list of departures ahead of the 2024 NRL season.
The club had already confirmed a host of departures ahead of next season, with Aaron Booth (retirement) joined by mid-season departures Sam McIntyre to the North Queensland Cowboys and Toby Sexton to the Canterbury Bulldogs. Thomas Mikaele also left mid-season for the Warrington Wolves having only joined in April, while Patrick Herbert left the Titans all the way back in March.
Kruise Leeming's departure back to the English Super League had also been confirmed prior to the conclusion of the season.
Now, Vuna has been confirmed as the club's latest departure although no new home has been confirmed, with the American-born second-rower off-contract and not having his time at the Gold Coast renewed ahead of new coach Des Hasler taking over.
Vuna managed 11 games at the Titans, with two of those coming in 2021, and the last nine coming this season, all off the interchange bench and predominantly in the first half of the season.
The Titans' latest retention update means the futures of Papua New Guinea representative Jacob Alick and youngster Tony Francis are still up in the air.
Francis, a centre, is yet to debut but has shown impressive form at QLD Cup level and could push for a first-grade debut in the coming season.
Alick, on the other hand, has already played first grade and is believed to have a club option in his contract for 2024 should the club opt to take it. Zero Tackle have reached out to the Titans to ascertain whether this is the case, and whether he will remain with the club.
The 23-year-old has played 59 QLD Cup games, including 19 this year where he made a staggering 32 offloads, tackled at north of 95 per cent and averaged 117 metres per game. He also impressed in his four NRL games after making his debut and playing 60 minutes off the bench during Round 19 against the Dolphins.
