In May 2024, David Fifita told the Sydney Roosters he was joining them on a multi-year deal, then changed his mind less than a week later by invoking a clause in his contract to remain at the Gold Coast Titans. Now, two years later, the South Sydney Rabbitohs started their season off positively with an away victory over the Dolphins in Round 1. Friday night's clash at Allianz Stadium resurrects one of rugby league's more uncomfortable stories.
When Fifita ran out for the Dolphins in his first game for a new club three weeks ago, Roosters supporters took it as a final blow. But the backflip that haunted Bondi in 2024 now returns with a different sting: the South Sydney Rabbitohs started their season off positively with an away victory over the Dolphins, and Fifita was instrumental in their victory.
The backflip stung Roosters chairman Nick Politis, who said "It is hard to understand" at the time. With forward leader Jared Waerea-Hargreaves leaving the club at the end of the season to join Super League club Hull KR, Fifita's signature was a huge coup for the Roosters. But the deal never recovered. After initially securing Fifita, the forward changed his mind and opted to sign a new deal with the Titans, and the backflip allowed the Roosters to re-sign Angus Crichton, who has produced career-best form.
The irony cuts both ways. Fifita managed only eight NRL games in the 2025 season at Gold Coast, plagued by the ankle injury that has shadowed his career. The Titans formally released him from the final year of his deal, with the club covering a chunk of his salary as he heads to South Sydney for the next two seasons to reunite with Wayne Bennett. There are no hard feelings on the Roosters' side, at least publicly. Angus Crichton has no hard feelings towards Fifita and hopes Friday's clash is the last time the saga is discussed, saying "It's the past. I've played with Dave before, he's a good fella".
Yet the script carries weight for Souths fans and their coach. Wayne Bennett coached Fifita in his 2018 debut at Brisbane, commenting "I liked it because he played mistake free". Bennett's belief in the back-rower has never wavered; Bennett made it clear he wanted Fifita at the Bunnies despite the injury-plagued star being limited to just nine games for Gold Coast, telling AAP "We are interested in David here at South Sydney".
South Sydney started their season off positively with an away victory over the Dolphins, and Fifita has built a reputation for his power, athleticism and ability to break games open since debuting in 2018, with a Dally M Second Rower of the Year award in 2023. If Friday's result swings in the Rabbitohs' favour, the narrative will shift instantly from cautionary tale to redemption story. Either way, Fifita's presence at Allianz Stadium is a reminder that football's unfinished business rarely stays buried for long.