LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui's manager disclosed that he plans to explore the open market when he officially becomes a free agent on November 1. However, he noted that detaching him from his family support system in Queensland would be challenging. The State of Origin player is bound by a contract with the Gold Coast Titans until 2033, securing him $1.2 million per season for a total of ten years.
There is a provision in his contract that allows him to exit after the 2027 season, enabling him to start negotiations with rival NRL clubs this November.
"We will be testing the market," Fa'asuamaleaui's manager Simon Mammino told News Corp on Sunday, while emphasizing his satisfaction with the Gold Coast. "At this stage, he wants to stay at the Titans, but it's a business and we'll be having a chat to interested parties."
According to the same report, the Perth Bears are readying a $7.5 million proposal aimed at making Fa'asuamaleaui the highest-paid player in the league on a per-season basis. Mal Meninga's new team aims to offer the Queensland Maroons star $1.5 million annually for five years, surpassing Kalyn Ponga's current $1.4 million earnings.
"From November 1, we're allowed to talk to people and I will definitely be having a chat with the Perth Bears," Mammino continued. "In a perfect world, Tino's preference is to stay at the Titans. But whether he does remains to be seen."
Mammino highlighted that Fa'asuamaleaui might be reluctant to leave his family in Queensland. His parents reside two hours away in Gympie, and his brother Izack is also part of the Titans. Tino's partner, Jordy Ngarimu, is a professional athlete with the Titans' netball team, and her family lives on the Gold Coast as well.
With three young children, a move away from Queensland would disrupt their family support system. "It won't be money alone that lures him out because he is already one of the highest-paid players in the game," Mammino added.