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ANDREW Fifita will become the richest prop in rugby league?s 108-year history after deciding to accept an $850,000-a-season offer from Canterbury, which has exploited Ben Barba?s departure to steal the Sharks superstar.
Barba?s exit to Brisbane means Canterbury are operating $400,000 below the salary cap for the next two years, enabling them to slot the Kangaroos bookend into a star-studded front row that already includes International pair James Graham and Sam Kasiano.NRL rules enable clubs with current cap space to front load future salaries, which is how the Roosters managed to recruit Sonny Bill Williams, James Maloney and Michael Jennings in a single swoop last year.
An announcement on Fifita?s four-year deal is expected this week, along with news that Graham has inked an extension to remain at Belmore.
The Daily Telegraph was yesterday told Kasiano might be considering a shock defection to European rugby, but Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle denied any knowledge and the Kiwi prop?s manager, Mario Tartak, did not return calls.Castle said Fifita had not put pen to paper as of Monday night, when he was preparing to break the news to Sharks team mates in the wake of their opening round clash against Gold Coast at Remondis Stadium.
?We have a couple of things to announce this week,? she said.
When pressed on how the Bulldogs could afford to invest such a large proportion of their cap into the front row, Castle replied: ?We have some significant money to spend because we don?t have a fullback. The salary cap can be difficult to manage, but there are mechanisms in place to do certain things.?Fifita spent the weekend in torment over leaving the Sharks, who put together an offer just $50,000-a-season shy of what Canterbury tabled.
The Daily Telegraph understands Cronulla were prepared to make Fifita their highest earning player, offering him $750,000-a-year ? plus a car ? to remain in the Shire.
Fifita spoke with several Sharks team mates before making up his mind to switch clubs late on Sunday.He also spoke with the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Sea Eagles and ARU, but, from those suitors, only South Sydney were initially prepared to match the money on offer from Canterbury and Cronulla.
Fifita?s defection is a huge blow for the Sharks, who have also lost promising hooker Michael Lichaa to Canterbury.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler has long viewed the 21-year-old rake as a successor to co-captain Michael Ennis, who is expected to handover the hooking reins in 2016.
Sharks skipper Paul Gallen was desperately hoping that Fifita might display loyalty in return for Cronulla plucking him out of reserve grade at Wests Tigers two years ago.
Now Gallen is more than likely to finish his career in the front row, with Cronulla desperately short on big men in 2015.
Doubts over Bryce Gibbs?s ability to continue another year leaves Sam Tagataese as the only recognised prop, meaning Cronulla will most likely have to enter a bidding war for off-contract Melbourne bookend Jesse Bromwich.
