David Fifita returns to Brisbane training facing a fitness battle
Maybe it was the result of a nightmarish off-season but David Fifita’s lack of fitness raised a few eyebrows on his return to the Broncos. PLUS, Ash Taylor’s steely new focus.
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Rising NRL star David Fifita turned heads at Red Hill this week when the Broncos reported for pre-season training – but for the wrong reasons.
Fifita was well behind the pack in most fitness drills on Monday morning as coach Anthony Seibold put his squad through a testing session in searing heat after the Christmas break.
Onlookers were stunned at how much Fifita lagged in the session as the rest of the Broncos, to their credit, looked in great shape.
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Fifita, 19, is on the verge of inking a multimillion-dollar deal to remain at the Broncos beyond this year, but has had an off-season to forget after a sensational 2019.
He fractured his eye socket playing for the Junior Kangaroos in October before being embroiled in drama in Bali when he was locked up for three days.
The Bali ordeal cost Fifita at least $30,000, but he escaped suspension after the NRL failed to find conclusive evidence of what actually happened in the alleged incident with a nightclub bouncer.
Fifita, 19, is an explosive player who relies more on impact than a high workrate.
But it wasn’t a good look for the youngster as his teammates seemed to have looked after themselves over the Christmas break in a bid to bounce back from last year’s shocking 58-0 finals loss to Parramatta.
Hooker Jake Turpin went in to bat for Fifita and said the Broncos were given a training program to follow during the break.
“I think we’ll all be feeling it – not just Dave,” Turpin said.
“He did well, I think he improved his (beep test) score from last year. As long as everyone is doing their best, that’s all the coaches can ask for.
“We got given a program in the two weeks we had off and that’s what training is all about, that’s the mentality we have at this club and we knew what we were in for.
“They (fitness staff) were happy with us. I’m not really singling anyone out. As a group we all came back pretty good. The boys put a bit of work in the two weeks we had off.”
TAYLOR TO TAKE HIS SHOT
TITANS halfback Ash Taylor has set a cracking pace in pre-season training to prove he is ready to bounce back in 2020.
The 24-year-old has emerged as one of the Gold Coast’s fittest players in pre-season training, impressing new coach Justin Holbrook.
Taylor had a 2019 to forget, struggling for form, playing reserve grade and taking a break from the game for personal reasons.
Being fit doesn’t guarantee success, but the signs have been positive from Taylor as he enters the second season of a three-year contract worth $3 million.
“I’ve been really happy with Ash,” Holbrook said. “He’s applied himself well to everything he’s done with his training.
“We all know how talented he is but you’ve got to work hard and he’s doing that. He’s going really well.
“I made it clear I’m here to help him and want him to play as well as he can, just like everyone else does. It’s my job to help him achieve that but he’s got to help himself. He’s doing that really well.”
Taylor, 24, recently welcomed his first child and told Blindside he was enjoying fatherhood.
CLEAN SKIN ASIATA
COWBOYS prop John Asiata picked up some brownie points over the off-season.
While some of his Tongan teammates, including Konrad Hurrell, got tattoos to commemorate their famous Test win against Australia, Asiata got ink for a different reason.
“A fair few boys got the tattoo done,” Asiata said. “I didn’t get it done. I’m not a real big fan of tattoos.
“I got my wedding finger done with my missus’ initials instead.”
Off-contract at season’s end, Asiata is weighing up a move to the Gold Coast after meeting with Titans coach Justin Holbrook during his break.
“I did meet with some of the staff there,” Asiata said. “I was down in Brisbane and met with my manager and had a chat with him. Gold Coast presented something that they thought would be good for me.
“Right now it’s about preparing for 2020 and putting my best foot forward for the Cowboys. They’ve done a lot for me. My job is to perform on the field and hopefully that can do the talking for me.”
Asiata, 26, would be a handy pick-up for the Titans following Jai Arrow’s defection to South Sydney.
ARROW’S CHRISTMAS TEARS
CHRISTMAS shoppers on the Gold Coast must have been scratching their heads when they spotted Titans forward Jai Arrow bawling his eyes out at one of the city’s biggest shopping centres.
Arrow told Blindside he made phone calls to Titans heavyweights Dennis Watt, Mal Meninga and Justin Holbrook while at a Broadbeach shopping centre on December 23 to inform them he would be signing with South Sydney.
“I was actually at Pacific Fair sitting there crying,” Arrow said.
“People would have been walking past thinking ‘why is this grown man crying at the shops?’.”
The drawn-out contract saga took a toll on Arrow but he is now feeling a lot better after finalising his future.
RISING STAR RETURNS TO TITANS
THE Gold Coast Titans have welcomed home a former junior prodigy.
Talented winger Greg Leleisiuao has returned to the club on a train and trial deal from Parramatta.
Leleisiuao was one of the club’s rising stars back in 2015 when he was coming through the Titans’ under-20s system.
He has struggled with injuries over the past few years and couldn’t crack the top grade at the Eels.
A former hip hop dancer, Leleisiuao has returned to the Gold Coast to play for Burleigh in the Intrust Super Cup and has been training with the Titans during the pre-season.
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HEAT GETTING THE RUNS
THE Brisbane Heat’s foray to the Gold Coast has been a debacle in many ways.
While the Heat haven’t scored many runs at Metricon Stadium in four losses from as many starts, they have certainly been getting “the runs” away from the pitch.
Heat players have been struck down by serious gastro bugs during both Big Bash games on the Gold Coast this summer.
English import Tom Banton was the first to go down, missing a game, before batsman Sam Heazlett was also struck down by a virus on the next visit.
Both players were hospitalised by the viruses and Heazlett hasn’t been back in the team since, although his performances didn’t warrant selection.
Blindside also sends its thoughts and prayers to Heat media man Stevie Gray, who was sharing a hotel room with Heazlett when the virus struck.
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