Andrew Fifita will end up playing rugby union next year, but not in Australia. I’ve been fiddling with all of the pieces in this fascinating jigsaw puzzle in a bid to try to put the picture together, but it’s hard.
Nobody who has been directly involved in the process, whether it be from the Canterbury club or Fifita’s management, has come out and said exactly what happened, so we’re left to fit bits of information together with a few guesses.
The Bulldogs issued a media release in which CEO Raelene Castle said that after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Fifita, they could not agree on the final terms of the contract and had ceased negotiations.
Castle was subsequently interviewed and said that while she wasn’t impressed by Fifita’s words in an interview late last week, when he said he wished he’d gone to rugby union instead because then he “wouldn’t be getting all the shit I’ve been catching”, that wasn’t why Canterbury withdrew.
She also dismissed a rumour the problem with negotiations was that a third-party sponsorship aspect of the deal had fallen over.
Since then, stories have been flying around that Fifita wanted to get out of the Canterbury deal himself anyway, and so was not unhappy with the outcome.
Fifita’s words in that interview, in which he also said his heart was “still in Cronulla and it always will be”, sounded like those of someone who wasn’t just blowing off a bit of steam but who was not comfortable with his decision.
That’s not to say the deal couldn’t have still gone ahead.
My suspicion is that the Bulldogs were having second thoughts themselves, ahead of that interview. Even allowing for Fifita’s undoubted ability, their decision to offer him a reported $850,000 per season when they already had a stock of big forwards with above-average ability was questionable.
We don’t know what went on inside the club, whether the decision to recruit Fifita for a fortune went down poorly among the players – particularly those other forwards, one or two of whom probably thought they may be moved on to make room under the salary cap.
It may have been an issue that compelled the club to reconsider.
Then there was the sight of the Canterbury forwards steamrolling their Melbourne counterparts in the game in Perth on Saturday night. It was a reminder of how well the Bulldogs are travelling up front, not only with their established players but also with David Klemmer coming through.
That kid turned just 20 in December. He’s going to be a star.
Fifita’s provocative comments may have caused the ball to roll a little faster, but I doubt they were what got it rolling in the first place.
Maybe the Bulldogs are now going to pour everything they’ve got into trying to sign a fullback from a rival club. So where to next year for Fifita, after his deal with Cronulla runs out?
The Sharks would gladly swallow their pride and take him back, but although he would still be very well paid if they stuck to their last offer of a reported $700,000 per season, it would be less than the Bulldogs offered.
Rugby union in Australia doesn’t appear to be an option. It either won’t or can’t compete with the Fifita’s offers in league. An ARU official made a telling comment yesterday that if Fifita wanted to talk to it about playing “it would need to be for rugby reasons and not based on the earning capacity he could demand in league”.
But there is apparently plenty of money available in rugby overseas, powered by rich television deals, that someone might fancy splashing on Fifita, who talked in his interview about having grown up playing rugby and said “I will eventually go to union”.
Fifita could stay with Cronulla. That appears the most likely option for him in league.
But I wonder if, after his experience in at least attracting a massive offer from Canterbury, and with his talk in that interview of eventually chasing “another dream”, staying with the Sharks might now seem like an anti-climax to him.
Has he, perhaps, already moved on from league in his own mind?
HARRY HOPWORTHY
Guest
Fifita is already in Rugby. That's Rugby LEAGUE. Which is just as much Rugby as is Rugby UNION. But he wants to switch from RUGBY League to Rugby UNION. Possibly to play in the Rugby UNION World Cup, along with the great Sonny Bill Williams, who, unlike Fifita, was born and bred in RUGBY League. Australians and New Zealanders. Don't you just love them !!!
Adrien
Guest
You seem to overrate France a little bit. High unemployment rate, high prices, a lot of useless and protective laws, a slow and lazy administration, high taxes even for sports people because they're not classified as "intermittents du spectacle" as you said, high insecurity and Women are really not as pretty as one can think (well obviously they're better than the English wenches who look like white kebabs for the vast majority). If you think France is heaven then you're either from Africa, Portugal or Spain as your name says.
Rod
Guest
Fifth is actually quiet quick,the only back rower in oz rugby that would be quicker would be hooper. Plus he is a big unit who has great mobility, Once again another tick over all back rowers bar Hooper. That said he may end being a dud,but he has a Rugby back ground so maybe worth a punt
Cadfael
Guest
I agree with you. Stories in today's telegraph include expansion even stating clubs would probably go down, bad boy given another chance at another club, double page on Fifita contract story. Nothing on last night's game, not even a line about the brown snake on the paddock. I used to live on the Victorian border and Monday and Tuesday's papers were all about the weekends AFL/VFL games. Nothing like that in regional NSW.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
If he indeed persues his wish of Rugby it will have to be overseas in France or Japan. Australian Rugby can't afford him unless he wants to have a crack at the Wallabies. I think the Dogs are pretty happy deep down, it was a strange decision in the first place. Plenty of NRL teams will be chasing him.
Storm Boy
Guest
The language is better too? Cul de sac.
Storm Boy
Guest
I'll side with the female host on Fox sports news at midday telling Paul Kent it is a bad look for the NRL.
planko
Guest
Where is Burgess going to play ?
planko
Guest
If he is willing to "take" 500k to 600k" someone will dust it off. Come on Greg Mr Tim Prentice makes that much easy. That is how you live on the northern beaches now days.
planko
Guest
Yet you mention none of these other points in your comment. Melbourne has no interest in contracts or the money involved ? Obviously BS and I called you on it get over it.
The Barry
Roar Guru
What position does he play in rugby...? No technique to play in the front row. Too slow for the backrow. Maybe No 8? A lot of work would need to be put into him to get any return.
Cadfael
Guest
One of the reason Fifita left Canberra was the weather and this will be worse in a French winter. As well, the French aren't dummies. They are looking at a rugby league forward not a matt Giteau or George Smith. if he isn't after the money, I'd like to see him go to rugby, the figure I've heard would be about $300,000 a season if he's lucky. If he's after the money, obviously Easts will have it with SBW expected to return to rugby next year for the RWC.
Storm Boy
Guest
A check of AFL and NRL stories on any media website shows the difference. All the NRL stories are nothing to do with upcoming games or tactics. It's all whining about contracts, scheduling, rules, tv and crowds.
Carlos
Guest
Fui Fui is at the back end of his career and it would be great to have a forward of Fifita's quality in place for the sad inevitability of Fui's retirement.
planko
Guest
AFL is not facinated by this contract non sense are ? NOONE was interested in Melbourne about Buddy Franklins contract or Croak ? Yeah AFL is above money talk after all Gary Abblett Jnr did not move for money it was the weather ...
Greg Prichard
Guest
He'd be a great addition to that team, no doubt.
Carlos
Guest
I'd like to see Parra put a big offer in for him
Jorji Costava
Guest
In France, rugby union players are considered 'entertainers' by the French tax department. So, instead of paying half your money in tax like you do in Australia, you only will pay ten percent on earnings. France also has a higher standard of living than Australia, better food, better infrastructure etc..
James
Guest
A bigger motor????? Please....
Greg Prichard
Guest
I think it would be difficult for anyone to accept in these circumstances, given that there would be some level of embarrassment (although I'm sure we'd all love to be earning $700k a year!). But, again, I can't help thinking, because of the comments he made in that interview, that he may have switched his aim to rugby union anyway.