Broncos to name David Fifita as part of lethal NRL nines team

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold is preparing to roll out a star-studded squad for the Perth NRL Nines competition, including some of their most exciting young talents.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 07: David Fifita of the Broncos breaks away from the defence during a joint training session with the Queensland Reds and the Brisbane Broncos at Red Hill on December 07, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

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The Broncos are set to unleash boom backrower David Fifita as part of a lethal line-up for their Perth Nines campaign.

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold is preparing to roll out a star-studded squad for next month’s Nines competition, which includes human-wrecking ball Payne Haas and playmaking magician Anthony Milford.

The Broncos will finalise their Perth NRL Nines side next week before heading into a week-long camp in the lead up to the two-day tournament.

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David Fifita was dominant for Australia at the Rugby League World Cup 9s. Picture: Getty Images

Fifita was a standout for Australia in last year’s World Cup Nine’s tournament, which included a two-try haul in Australia’s 25-12 defeat to New Zealand in the opening round.

The 19-year-old has been itching to return to the Nines arena and has apparently been pleading with Seibold to send him to Perth as part of the Broncos squad.

Seibold said the upcoming pre-season tournament was the perfect preparation for the likes of Fifita and Milford.

“We think it suits a lot of our players,” Seibold said.

“David (Fifita) came back raving about it after his experience with the Kangaroos in the Nines.

“He’s been asking me almost every day, when are we going to start training for the Nines. I’ve told Dave, we’re not training for the Nines until the week of the Nines. He really enjoyed it.

“When Dave came back (from the World Cup Nines), he couldn’t wait to play. He’s telling me what tactics we should be doing.”

David Fifita and Matthew Lodge at Broncos training. Photo: AAP

The Nines tournament will be played in Perth on February 14-15, the same weekend the Broncos will head to Rockhampton for a trial match against the CQ Capras.

The Broncos are expected to send a limited number of forwards to Perth for the Nine’s tournament, with barnstorming Fifita to be one of them.

“We won’t send too many forwards, and David will be one of the forwards,” Seibold said.

“David was outstanding for Australia in the World Nines. He broke a lot of one-on-one tackles and that’s a real strength of his.

“One of the things was, David came back from Australia in the Nines and I asked him what he learned and he said you don’t need too many forwards – you only need three or four forwards.

Anthony Seibold says David Fifita will be one of the few forwards to play at the Nines. Picture: AAP.

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“When our squad comes out, you’ll see there’s only a couple of forwards but the forwards we will have will be guys like (Tom) Flegler, Haas and Fifita.”

Two other Brisbane young guns, Xavier Coates and Herbie Farnworth, are also likely to fly to Western Australia with the Broncos Nines squad to add speed on the wings.

The Nines tournament will also feature retirees, Michael Gordon (Titans) and former Sydney Swan Nick Davis (Roosters) as part of the showcase weekend.

Seibold said he wasn’t taking the tournament lightly as the club looks to add the Nines silverware to the Red Hill trophy cabinet.

“We want to represent the club as best we can,” he said.

“We’d like to go over and give a good account of ourselves.”