Josh Papali'i State of Origin retirement opens the door for Gold Coast Titans star Moeaki Fotuaika
The shock retirement of a Queensland legend has opened the door for the Titans star to return to the Origin fold. Meanwhile, the club have addressed the surprise axing of a rookie fan favourite.
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Gold Coast Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika has 80 minutes to prove he deserves a State of Origin recall in the wake of a Queensland great’s shock retirement on the eve of selections.
Canberra Raiders star Josh Papali'i contacted Maroons coach Billy Slater earlier this week to inform him of his retirement from interstate duties, drawing the curtain on his 23-game career in rugby league’s most daunting arena.
Despite producing emphatic numbers in 2023, Fotuaika faced stern competition from 2022 incumbents Papali’i, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter and Tom Gilbert as well as the returning Christian Welch for the chance to add to his four Queensland caps.
The likes of South Sydney’s Jai Arrow and Raiders firebrand Corey Horsburgh will also come into contention.
However the 23-year-old Fotuaika could now be just one more powerhouse display against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Sunday away from being called on to fill the giant Papali’i void.
Since being brought back into the Titans’ starting forward pack in Round 3, Fotuaika has gone on to average 142 running metres and 29 tackles a game while going head to head with likely New South Wales inclusions Payne Haas and Junior Paulo.
“It’s a tough one, I shouldn’t say this but it’s the first year Queensland have got a lot of headaches,” Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook said.
“In the past they pick and stick because they’ve probably only got that 20-odd, 21, to pick from. This year it’s a big job for the selectors, there’s so many payers in form.
“I’d love to see him there, I know how hard he’s been working but there’s so many good players for Queensland. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle it.”
Meanwhile as the Titans travel to Sydney ahead of their clash with the Bulldogs, Holbrook addressed the decision to axe rookie winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
The 21-year-old speedster — who has 12 tries from 10 appearances in his debut season — was informed of the decision on Wednesday morning before speaking to the media, having been named in the original game day 17 on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite his ability to find the line, Holbrook explained errors in Khan-Pereira’s game (21, second in the NRL) as well as the form of Aaron Schoupp in the Queensland Cup were the core reasons behind the move.
However the Gold Coast mentor admitted it was a mistake to allow the rising talent to front the media in the initial aftermath of the decision, while confirming it would likely be an extended stint out of the first-grade side.
“He’s holding up well, but I apologise for that, I had no idea he was up for media – obviously I wouldn’t have let him go up having only just found out,” Holbrook said.
“It was hard this week, we didn’t get back until late Monday night and you have to name the team on Tuesday and we didn’t meet as coaches until 6.30 Wednesday morning to discuss the team.
“I had no idea he was up for media, I was leaving him out due to a bit of inexperience and he was thrown into the deep end and had to answer his own questions. Not ideal, and we’ll make sure we don’t slip up as a club – it’s not fair on him.
“It will be good for his development mentally and physically to miss out for a couple of games and that’s why we’ve gone that way. He’s been tremendous for us but we’ve got the luxury of having a lot of great outside backs.
"Aaron Schoupp has probably been unlucky to miss out. He’s played terrific for us, for Tweed the last couple of games, and he deserves to go back in. Moving forward it’s someone else’s turn to miss out, I can’t apologise for that.
“I make no apologies, we’ve got great depth in all positions.”
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That is the belief of Gold Coast teammate Brian Kelly, who declared the 25-year-old’s resurgence to hit career “best form” warranted selection in Billy Slater’s Queensland side. In just 19 days the Maroons and Blues will battle in the series opener, with spots on both sides wings a topic of hot debate.
The likes of Broncos star Selwyn Cobbo and Dolphins sensation Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow loom as palpable candidates on Slater’s flanks, with towering Melbourne flyer Xavier Coates another who has tasted success on rugby league’s biggest stage.
However Kelly is adamant that Sami is a name who should be firmly on the radar to add to his sole Origin cap earned in 2020.
In each of his past five games Sami has run for at least 150m, while he has made 46 tackle busts since moving from the centres in Round 3 — the most among all NRL wingers.
Those efforts culminated in a crucial performance against Parramatta in Magic Round — running for 198m while making eight tackle breaks and a clutch linebreak that led to Kelly’s match winning try.
Kelly said he had long known of his Titans teammate’s freakish tendencies, however something had undoubtedly clicked in the off season to trigger his meteoric form.
And he called on Queensland selectors to take notice as the ponder who to take the field come May 31.
“I muck around with Phil a bit at training — they say Phil 2.0 but I give him 3.0,” Kelly said.
“He’s just enjoying his off field and training and is happy all around, and it’s showing on the field. Put him anywhere he goes out and does a great job.
“I played (under) 20s with Phil so I’ve always known him as a freaky talent, but he’s just knuckled down and is probably the fittest he’s been.
“It’s obviously shown and I’m happy to see him doing really well. He’s playing in the best form out of all his seasons so I’m backing him to get selected, but that’s up to the selectors.”
While Sami presents genuine competition to the Maroons incumbents out wide, Gold Coast wing partner Alofiana Khan-Pereira looms as a shock bolter.
The 21-year-old’s maiden NRL campaign has announced to the code he is a try scoring freak in the making; his electrifying speed constantly on show in scoring 11 tries and making 11 linebreaks from just nine appearances.
A league-high error rate (19) as well as his rookie status offset the tempting x-factor he could bring to the Origin arena, but Kelly believes the confidence his left edge partner was showing indicated danger signs for the rest of the competition. That self-belief was clear in Sunday’s win over the Eels; Khan-Pereira boldly opting to chip and chase in scoring one of the tries of the round.
“Lofi’s come out of his shell, he’s been a lot more confident and it’s good for the team. He’s still got development in him, but just to see him confident that’s the best thing for him,” Kelly said.
“He was a bit shy there the first couple of rounds, but I’m just in his ear and trying to back him and support him as a teammate: connect with him off the field and make that bond stronger on the field.”
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Moeaki Fotuaika has issued Queensland coach Billy Slater a timely reminder of his State of Origin credentials, however the Titans forward revealed he had not spoken with the Maroons maestro since the pre-season.
Saturday’s clash with the Gold Coast and Brisbane was billed as a battle between star props Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Payne Haas, however it was Fotuaika who went after the Broncos’ sensation.
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The Tongan international ran for 174m from 16 carries and made 29 tackles in a powerhouse display despite the 43-26 defeat, and declared he was ready to return to the Origin arena.
Fotuaika missed selection in last year’s series, having played four games for Queensland between 2020 and 2021, as the likes of Reuben Cotter and Lindsay Collins shone alongside Josh Papali’i and Fa’asuamaleaui.
However even with Melbourne Storm hardman Christian Welch back in the fold following his season-ending ACL injury last year, the 23-year-old Titan declared he was more prepared now than ever to make an impact in the Maroons jumper.
“I definitely feel I’m a lot better than where I was last year, as I said I just want to continue evert game and I’m finding my confidence every game,” Fotuaika said.
“I think every player that plays footy that can be selected for Origin wants to play in that, it’s the same for me.
“I definitely want to get back in that arena, but I’m just focusing on my role here at the Titans and if I’m playing good footy here I’m sure everything else will take care of itself.
“I caught up with him in the pre-season, me and a couple of other boys here caught up with him for lunch … just a general chat of how much the jersey means to us and checking up on us — it wasn’t too much about footy or anything like that.
“But obviously I do want to get back in that arena, but I’m really just focusing on my game here at the Titans. I’m finding confidence every game and I just want to continue that.”
While Fa’asuamaleaui is a lock to retain his Queensland jumper, and the noise has only grown around David Fifita potential return, Titans winger Phil Sami has seemingly become the forgotten man in the fight for a spot in the backs.
The 25-year-old was a surprise inclusion in Wayne Bennett’s underdog Queensland side in 2020, playing two games in the victorious series.
However as the likes of Selwyn Cobbo and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow have pushed their cases alongside the likes of Xavier Coates, Dane Gagai and Murray Taulagi, Sami’s name has been absent from the conversation.
Yet since moving from centre to the flank upon Brian Kelly’s return to the Titans line up Sami’s form has spiked — his 25 tackle busts in the past three weeks the most among wingers in the competition.
His heroic efforts against the Dragons two weeks ago — yielding 249m, 15 tackle busts, three linebreaks and a try — was followed by 150m in a tryscoring performance against Brisbane, and Fotuaika believed his teammate’s form could hold the key to Queensland forward pack getting a roll on.
“For sure I think Phil Sami has been up there as one of the best wingers in the competition this year. I think he’s definitely in contention and playing really well for us,” Fotuaika said.
“It definitely makes it a lot easier when they put the kick in to our own end and he’s making all those tackle breaks and metres.
“It definitely helps us middles get more rest, and we’re not having to take carries to get out of our own end.
“It’s a credit to how hard he’s worked, he’s definitely worked hard during the pre-season and it’s good to see that his work is coming off.”
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