Mystery ankle injury, demand to switch positions reportedly behind David Fifita's 'messy' Titans freezeout

A mystery injury and a desire to play on a different side of the field are reportedly behind David Fifita's "messy" situation at Gold Coast.

Nine's Danny Weidler unpacked the saga on 100% Footy on Monday night as the eyes of the NRL world turn to Tuesday's Titans team list, and whether the $1 million forward will be recalled.

Coach Des Hasler brutally dumped Fifita to reserve grade last week following a string of lacklustre performances.

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The 25-year-old dished up yet another underwhelming game, this time for Ipswich Jets in a 32-0 QLD Cup loss.

Rumours of a feud have now emerged after Fifita told News Corp over the weekend "the truth will come out" about why he was axed from first grade.

"This is a messy situation, it's quite hard to understand," Weidler said on Monday night.

"At the core of it is David Fifita does have a bad ankle, and that is part of the reason he has been playing badly, or not as well as he should in a lot of his games.

"I think that ankle may be a bit worse than people know. We will see what transpires there.

"But the bigger story around this is there's been talk Fifita wanted to play on the left side of the field... but they've got Beau Fermor there.

"I think he was told 'David, you're playing where we want you to play' - I don't know how well that went down.

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"That is being denied to me to a degree by the Titans.

"I'm also hearing... there are questions around his commitment to the team, and if that is the case that is a bigger story altogether. That's where the story could get bigger and messier."

Fifita underwent ankle surgery in September but it has barely been reported about since.

He missed Gold Coast's Easter Sunday game due to a hamstring issue, but the Titans have not offered any information about a lingering ankle problem.

Fifita was the hottest young player in the NRL when he joined the Titans in 2021 on $1.25m a season - at the time a record salary for the league.

He was named Dally M backrower of the year in 2023 but his time on the glitter strip has been tumultuous to say the least.

He was axed from Billy Slater's Queensland side last year without a solid public explanation, then Fifita agreed to join the Roosters before sensationally backflipping to take up a new contract with the Titans on $1m a year.

The situation has left many in the game perplexed.

"What's going on at the Titans I don't know," Phil Gould said on 100% Footy.

"They are a team stacked full of talent, I just don't understand why they are underperforming the way they are.

"I guess most people thought Des Hasler would have been able to extract it from them, being a disciplinarian and the experience he had, but it's just not there at the moment.

"The types of things you're hearing about David Fifita... you hear that in losing situations, you hear that in every losing club, there will always be someone around who's got a rumour about why they're not going well.

"They haven't lived up to their talent for how long? At times they are unstoppable... but week in, week out neither (Fifita) or the team are consistently putting their best foot forward.

"They've got top team talent, they haven't got top team attitude at the moment."

The Titans next face the Knights on Friday.