The Titans are eyeing Cowboys young gun Jeremiah Nanai as a contingency plan should David Fifita move on to kickstart his career at another club.
Broncos forward Keenan Palasia has requested an immediate release from the final year of his deal, with the Titans and the Dragons keen on his services.
Read on for the latest NRL Transfer Whispers.
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TITANS EYE COWBOYS GUN AS FIFITA PLAN B
The Titans are eyeing Cowboys young gun Jeremiah Nanai as a contingency plan should David Fifita move on to kickstart his career at another club.
The Daily Telegraph reported the Titans are considering making a play for Nanai should $1.25 million star David Fifita find another club.
The Titans want to keep Fifita, but on a reduced deal after he struggled for form in 2022 and found himself benched.
Fifita enters the final year of his three-year mega deal at the Titans in 2023 and is free to negotiate with NRL rivals for 2024 and beyond.
He has already been linked with the Raiders, while a reunion with Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins could also be on the cards.
Nanai only signed a one-year extension with the Cowboys for 2023 and his price has since skyrocketed given he played for the Maroons in Origin and the Kangaroos at the World Cup.
Nanai reportedly attracted a five-year $4.2 million deal from a Sydney club, so the Titans would have to fork out substantial money to pry him away from the Cowboys.
Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck said the Cowboys will look to begin extension negotiations with Nanai when he returns from his break after the World Cup.
“We know there will be interest and we would like to think as soon as he comes back home we can begin discussions again about securing him long term,” Luck told The Daily Telegraph.
“We understand other clubs will come in with big offers, but we would love him to see out his career here.
“We’ll put forward a package that makes Jeremiah and his family comfortable with his future here.
“We’re confident our offer will be competitive regardless of what other clubs are offering and we’d like to think at this stage of Jeremiah’s career he is confident in our club and the direction we’re heading in.”
22-year-old Fifita has scored 37 tries in 84 games for the Broncos and Titans since his debut in 2022, while he has also played five Origins for Queensland and four Tests for Tonga.
Nanai, 19, has scored 18 tries in 27 games for the Cowboys and already has three Origins for Queensland and two Tests for the Kangaroos to his name.
BOOM BRONCOS FORWARD REQUESTS RELEASE
Broncos forward Keenan Palasia wants out of the final year of his Broncos deal to return home to the Gold Coast.
The Courier Mail reported Palasia asked the Broncos for an immediate release in the belief he is good enough to be a starter at another team, with the Titans one of several clubs circling.
The Dragons are also reportedly interested in luring Palasia to the Red V for 2023 to bolster their forward stocks.
Palasia is the second Broncos player after Tesi Niu to request a release, with the fullback granted permission to negotiate with NRL rivals.
However, Broncos coach Kevin Walters wants Palasia to stay and believes he is a crucial part of his plans for 2023.
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Just 12 months ago Palasia knocked back a four year $1 million offer with Manly to sign a one-year extension with the Broncos, which cost him $800,000.
The Broncos are keen to extend Palasia into 2024 and beyond, but the versatile forward wants a fresh start and the chance to press for a starting role.
Palasia has been in talks with the Titans since he was allowed to negotiate with rivals from November 1.
Palasia told Newscorp he has asked for an early release as he craves a starting role and at the Broncos he is stuck behind middle forwards Payne Haas, Tom Flegler and Pat Carrigan in the pecking order.
“I have let ‘Kevvie’ know I would prefer to head home,” the Palm Beach Currumbin local told The Courier Mail.
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“I spoke to Kevvie about it. He said he wants to keep me and there is a role for me within the squad.
“The Broncos have been good to me, which is why I stayed loyal last time, and Kev has been great in how straight he is with his decisions and communication.
“But I feel I can be a starting player. My best years are ahead of me and I want to play at a club which I feel better suits my style of play.”
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Should the Broncos play hard ball, Palasia will honour his contract in 2023, but he will not be at Red Hill in 2024 and beyond at this stage.
The 25-year-old has scored one try in 33 games for the Broncos since his debut in 2019 and has played one Test for Samoa at the 2022 World Cup.
