Beginning the season in fine fashion for the Tweed Seagulls, Gold Coast Titan Jojo Fifita is set to light up the Origin arena after being selected in Queensland's extended squad for the upcoming Under 19 clash.
As the Seagulls' leading try scorer in his five appearances in the Hostplus Cup, the 19-year-old has been a hot prospect for many eager fans who have been enthused by the rugby-converts progression since joining the club as a full-time contracted player.
Fifita is one of ten Titans representatives who have been selected in recent junior programs in both Queensland and New South Wales, showcasing the immense up-and-coming talent between Logan and Lismore.
Fresh from winning the Andrew Johns Cup in a thrilling grand final, Northern Rivers Titans Zane Harrison and Riley Buchanan have been selected in the New South Wales Country side and will head enter camp this week, ahead of a showdown this Saturday against their City cousins.
Queenslanders EJ Finau, Arama Hau, Seth Nikotemo, Joseph Shannon and Antioch Faitala-Mariner got a taste of a Maroons high performance program with the five Future Titans invited to the QRL's Under 18 Emerging Origin camp held at the weekend at the Queensland Academy of Sport.
The camp was particularly special for Faitala-Mariner, who was forced to sit on the sidelines last season with a serious groin injury, before working hard to get back to his best on the field in 2022.
A further three club representatives hope to don the Maroon after being selected in the Queensland Under 19 side to play New South Wales later in the year, with Tweed youngster Kaleb Ngamanu and Burleigh forward Josiah Pahulu - who is only 18 years of age - joining Fifita in the extended squad.
New South Wales are yet to name their Under 19 squad, but the likes of Titans young gun Tom Weaver and train-and-trial prospects Jaylan De Groot and Oskar Bryant are in with a great chance of being selected.
The Under 19 clash will feature as part of the NRL's Representative weekend.
Gold Coast Titans representatives
New South Wales Country Under 16s
- Zane Harrison (Northern Rivers Titans)
- Riley Buchanan (Northern Rivers Titans)
Queensland Under 18 Emerging Origin squad
- EJ Finau (Burleigh Bears)
- Arama Hau (Burleigh Bears)
- Seth Nikotemo (Burleigh Bears)
- Joseph Shannon (Burleigh Bears)
- Antioch Faitala-Mariner (Brisbane Tigers)
Queensland Under 19 State of Origin squad
- Jojo Fifita (Gold Coast Titans)
- Kaleb Ngamanu (Tweed Seagulls)
- Josiah Pahulu (Burleigh Bears)
