Alofiana Khan-Pereira has revealed he is still coming to terms with his new-found stardom after a stellar start to his promising NRL career.
Becoming a household name on the Gold Coast as one of the Titans' fiercest flyers having broken the club top try-scoring record in his debut season, the 22-year-old admits he still has to pinch himself after a whirlwind 12 months that saw him become one of the hottest rookies in the game.
"I still can't believe I'm an NRL player and the massive impact I have on some of the kids," he said.
"It's still pretty crazy to me and I think I'm still mellowing in to it.
"Everything has hit me in the face so quickly and I haven't really embraced it yet, but I just need to keep doing my job and just keep turning up."
Evident at Friday's Titans NAIDOC event hosted at Mudgeeraba, Khan-Pereira - who is a proud Bundjalang man - was one of the most popular players for the fans who flocked to see the Gold Coast NRL squad make a special appearance, with the occasion bringing back childhood memories for the young gun.
"It's always a special event to come down here and celebrate my culture, see the mob and get around each other," he said.
"I actually remember coming down to NAIDOC day as a kid and seeing a couple of NRL players and wishing that I was them giving out hats and signing autographs.
"Now that the tables have turned, it's a buzz to be honest and very awesome... I'm very blessed."
Gearing up for his second season playing NRL, the freaky flyer delighted fans even more by vowing to beat his try-scoring record again in 2024... having the Ken Irvine Medal in his sights.
"I'm hoping to definitely score more next year," Khan-Pereira said with a smirk when asked.
"I just want to keep working on the one percenters and there's things I can do off the footy as well, so I guess I'll just have to show everyone want I can do next year."
