Fightin' Titan: In-form Fifita building case for Origin recall

Gold Coast Titans tear-away David Fifita is giving Queensland selectors little alternative but to recall him for the State of Origin series-opener in Adelaide later this month.

Despite being part of a well-beaten team at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday, the 23-year-old continued his resurgence with two tries and 222 running metres in 80 minutes for the Titans in their 46-26 loss to the Knights.

Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui believes Fifita is playing well enough to have earned an Origin recall, and hopes to have his Titans teammate packing down alongside him when the Maroons begin their title defence in Adelaide on May 31.

Fifita will be competing with the likes of Cowboys edge forward Jeremiah Nanai, who is serving a four-game suspension, Kurt Capewell, Felise Kaufusi and Jai Arrow.

“I definitely think so. He’s been playing very good and I guess it’s up to the selectors but I’m proud of the way David’s come on,” Fa’asuamaleaui told reporters after the loss to the Knights.

“He’s the one that’s been standing up each week. He’s taking up tough carries, he’s working hard on his defence, and as a player next to him, he’s someone that you want to play with.

“I’m looking up to him at the moment, he’s going very good, he’s playing some good footy for us as a club, and us around him just let him down today.”

After playing three games for Queensland in 2019 and another two in 2021, Fifita was overlooked by selectors last season as he struggled with injuries and inconsistent form.

He even lost his starting spot at the Titans midway through the year, but a change of attitude after a pre-season heart-to-heart with Queensland coach Billy Slater helped him reset his goals.

Fifita has been a model of consistency for the Titans this season and he was one of the few players who could be satisfied with their performance against the Knights.

Titans coach Justin Holbrook spared Fifita, Fa’asuamaleaui and fellow prop Moeaki Fotuaika from any criticism, but some of their teammates could be made accountable as they prepare for their next game against the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Sunday.

“Look, Dave’s been tremendous, and he was great to watch again tonight. He was terrific for us, and we still had some good players out there,” Holbrook said.

“Dave, Mo and Tino were up there but we just had too many guys well below their best today.”

Holbrook was disappointed the Titans could not reproduce the form they had shown in beating Parramatta and Manly in their previous two matches.

“it’s back to the drawing board. There’s plenty of improvement in the side this year but we came crashing back today, so we’ve got to get on with it now and bounce back next week,” Holbrook said.

“It’s hard for all of us but we’ve got to be accountable for what just happened out there.

“I can’t hide the fact that we’re disappointed in that, that’s for sure. We know what we’re capable of but we didn’t deliver that today.

“Our guys will keep learning. Some guys that we expect to play better, they probably off the back of a couple of good games thought it would just happen and it didn’t happen, so we’ve got to learn from it and get on with it.”