LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Following the announcement of his younger brother's departure from the Gold Coast Titans for the Super League, the Melbourne Storm has been identified as the "biggest hurdle" in the Titans' attempts to retain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.
Tino, one of the standout players eligible to negotiate with other teams starting November 1, is currently under a 10-year contract with the Titans. However, his deal includes a get-out clause that permits him to leave at the end of the 2026 NRL season.
This situation has already drawn interest from teams such as the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, St George Illawarra Dragons, and the newly formed Perth Bears, all of whom are eager to secure him as the highest-paid player in the NRL.
Despite this growing interest from multiple clubs, it is unexpectedly the Storm that poses the most significant challenge for the Titans in terms of keeping their captain beyond the 2026 season.
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"There's been a lot of mail over the last 48 hours that it's the Melbourne Storm that will be the biggest hurdle for the Gold Coast Titans and Josh Hannay as far as keeping Tino," The Daily Telegraph's David Riccio stated on Triple M's NRL Daily.
"There's a lot of mail going around that the Melbourne Storm are preparing to get their man back."