David Fifita tells Gold Coast Titans he will leave at end of NRL season

• In short: David Fifita will end his time at the Gold Coast Titans following this NRL season.
• The star forward informed the club on Thursday he would not sign a new contact.
• What's next? Fifita is expected to sign with either Penrith or the Sydney Roosters.

David Fifita will depart Gold Coast for Sydney after telling the Titans he will leave the club at the end of the season.

Fifita met with Titans officials on Wednesday night, before opting not to activate the final two years of his contract on the Gold Coast.

The Queensland State of Origin forward had to make a call by Thursday night.

Titans coach Des Hasler said the club respected Fifita's decision.

"David is a wonderful player, he's been a good acquisition for the club," he said.

"But he's decided his time has come to an end and he's going to move to Sydney and pursue his footy career and his footy interests down there.

"The club sincerely wishes him all the best."

Hasler rejected the suggestion Fifita was "abandoning the ship" at the Titans.

"It is a decision Dave has made. We move on and keep playing," he said.

"It is disappointing, but it is all a part of the game and part of the theatre.

"It is part of the football merry-go-round that footballers come and go all the time."

Fifita is yet to inform either Penrith or the Sydney Roosters, who are considered frontrunners to gain his signature, of his exact destination for next season.

Penrith is considered the favourite to land the 24-year-old, who would effectively become a replacement for outgoing forward James Fisher-Harris.

Regarded as a similar style player to Viliame Kikau, his potential addition to the Penrith pack would shift Scott Sorenson into the front row next year.

Penrith has sold Fifita on the idea of joining a premiership-ready team, with the Panthers having won the last three competitions.

"It's got that potential to be like Kiks (Kikau). He's a big body, he moves well, so there are definitely similarities there," Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards said this week.

"He'd have to have a lot of training under his belt to get up to speed with our system and the way we want to play footy.

"Our backrowers are quality at the moment too. But he's a class player and can do things in the game that not many people could do."

Fifita's partner, Shaylee Bent, is from the Penrith region.

A prospective deal with Penrith would be worth about $850,000 for three seasons, allowing him to negotiate his next deal when in his prime at age 27.

The Roosters are expected to offer Fifita a similar deal, but on a four-year contract.

The hulking second-rower would offer the club some X-factor, as they prepare to farewell Joey Manu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii at the end of 2024.

They also have the advantage of being able to bring Gold Coast player Bent to the women's team, with the Gold Coast second-rower also off contract at the Titans this year.

"You want quality players, and he is a quality player," Roosters lock Victor Radley said of Fifita.

"He's got the footwork, he's a powerhouse. Fast. You don't have many players that do all those things.

"He's got the X-factor."

AAP