Can Fifita become the signing of the year?

After a difficult 2025, Denan Kemp thinks David Fifita has what it takes to be the signing of the year for South Sydney.

Last season was not a good one for the second rower, who struggled for game time with the Gold Coast Titans.

This was allegedly due to Fifita making a request to Des Hasler to play on the left-hand side of the second row in Beau Fermor's spot, which saw him subsequently dropped to the QLD Cup.

It also didn't help that the edge forward battled various injuries throughout the season, which kept him sidelined.

With his relationship with Hasler far from perfect, this would see the eight-time Queensland representative decide to move on at the end of the season and has now signed a two-year deal with the Rabbitohs to reunite with his former coach Wayne Bennett.

With his addition, South Sydney will gain depth in their forwards, which already includes Keaon Koloamatagi, Jai Arrow, and Cam Murray.

And now that he has made the move down south, Kemp thinks that the 25-year-old could be the best signing of the year.

“I’m going (for) Fifita,” Kemp said on SEN’s Morning Glory with Matty Johns.

“He had a lot of off-field stuff last year. Things didn’t work out in the end at the Titans.

“But you’ve got to remember when he first arrived, if you took away their $1.2 million (price tag) and that he was on $800,000, everyone would be going, ‘Mate, he was great’.

“I think just people forget a) how young he is (and) b) it’s clear that he’s recognised that he didn’t handle last year well. That’s the key for him.

“You can look around and say this didn’t work or that didn’t work until you go, ‘You know what, maybe I wasn’t the best version of myself’.

“So, I think that’s what he’s going to do at the Rabbitohs.”

Souths have one more pre-season game before their 2026 season officially starts.

They will play the Sea-Eagles in Mudgee on February 22 before their Round 1 clash against the Dolphins on March 8 at Suncorp Stadium.

Image Credit: South Sydney Rabbitohs' Instagram Account