Veteran prop Andrew Fifita hopes to continue his NRL career elsewhere next season — but if the Sharks win the premiership he may re-think his plans and actually consider retiring.
The Sharks and Fifita confirmed last month that the 33-year-old would depart at season’s end after 11 years — and a premiership — with the club.
With the likes of Toby Rudolf and Royce Hunt going from strength to strength as well as some younger forwards on the rise, Fifita knew it was time to move on. But not retire.
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He said in August that he’s “still got another year” in him and believes he could be a good mentor for the next generation of players at another club.
Fifita has since told foxsports.com.au that while there’s been interest from some Super League clubs, his preference is to stay in the NRL — and he is “in talks with a few clubs.”
But he conceded he’d re-think his plans to play on if the Sharks claim this year’s premiership.
“If we get the gong I’ll be asking a lot of questions — Mick Ennis had a year to go on his contract… I’ll see how I pull up after Mad Monday,” Fifita joked when asked if he’d retire with a second premiership ring.
“But (in all seriousness) that will be another talk, I’ll sit down with the wife and see how we go,” he added.
“If I do commit to another club though I will (play on), because I know they would be signing me for a reason with the mentoring I want to do with the young players.”
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Fifita, like most players, is keeping the contract talk to his manager for now but is “very confident” he’ll be able to get a deal done… after Cronulla’s finals campaign wraps up.
“I don’t want to sit with people just yet because we’ve got bigger things going on here at Sharks,” he said.
When it does come time to officially hang up the boots, there’s an off-field role waiting for Fifita at the Sharks.
But there’s something else he has his sights set on too — becoming a high school counsellor to help kerb suicide rates among young people.
“The way I came through school, you didn’t want to talk and I want to break that stigma,” Fifita said.
“I hate the idea of getting pulled into a room and just sitting there, I’d rather walk and talk or do something that they like — if it’s one of the league boys grab a ball and throw it around.
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“Everyone is their own individual and that’s your job to find out more about them. After that first chill session you find out a bit more.
“It would be good to work in a high school, I feel like the suicide toll around that 15 to 29-years age group is on the rise… It’s really heartbreaking.
“I know back home in Griffith it’s really big, off the top of my head we’ve had 25 (suicides) in the last five years. It’s sad. If there’s something we can do to break it, we’ve got to start with the youth.”
