State of Origin 2021: Where it all started for AJ Brimson, David Fifita, Moeaki Fotuaika and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
They are the Gold Coast heroes set to line up for Queensland in the 2021 State of Origin series. But where did it all start for these Gold Coast stars? SPECIAL FLASHBACK SERIES >>>
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THEY are the Gold Coast heroes set to line up for Queensland in the 2021 State of Origin opener. But where did it all start for these Gold Coast stars?
WALSH'S RISE - May 1, 2019
RUGBY league fans looking for the next superstar should tune into the Mal Meninga Cup decider.
The under-18s competition which nurtured rising Broncos halves Tom Dearden and Tanah Boyd will climax on Sunday when Tweed Seagulls battle Wynnum-Manly for premiership glory and there’s one name on everyone’s lips – Reece Walsh.
Queensland’s under-16s captain last year, Walsh rose to prominence at junior club Nerang Roosters before making a name himself through the Queensland Murri.
The Keebra Park fullback trains with Brisbane’s under-18s emerging squad but has caused a stir with his form for Tweed.
Walsh showed devastating pace and footwork to score either side of halftime during the Seagulls’ 24-16 semi-final win over Souths-Logan and will terrorise the Wynnum-Manly defence from fullback.
In 2015 Walsh was hailed as a hero at a Nerang Roosters side struggling in seniors but thriving in the junior ranks.
When Shane Zust and Ryan Carr-Ketu took over as co-coaches of the under-14s Roosters they would never have envisaged what was to follow.
“We have managed to go through the regular season unbeaten and now we’re playing in a grand final,” Carr-Ketu said.
“We have the competition’s highest points scorer in Reece Walsh and also have the leading try scorers in Dorion Smith and Zion Kingi.”
TINO'S RISE - September 12, 2018
PROMISING young Melbourne Storm forward Tino Fa’asuamaleaui had never played in a finals series before this year.
But now the Easts Tigers gun is just one game away from the Intrust Super Cup’s premiership decider.
Touted as a future star of the NRL, Fa’asuamaleaui grew up in regional Queensland, with his time split between Gympie and Widgee, a small town of less than 1000 people.
He learned how to play rugby league in a paddock with the help of his father and brother and when the family were based in Gympie, he would play his junior rugby league with Gympie Devils.
Fa’asuamaleaui, 18, says the competition was too small to ever play finals but, despite his lack of big-game experience, he has not shied away from helping the Tigers push through their first two weeks of sudden-death football.
“This is my first finals series,” Fa’asuamaleaui said of his Intrust Super Cup campaign with Easts.
“Coming from Gympie, we didn’t have too many finals games. All the boys (at Easts) have been looking after me.
“They’ve taken me under their wing and, knowing I’m young, they’re teaching me the ways of the older boys.”
Fa’asuamaleaui moved to Melbourne at the end of 2017, aged just 17.
He was a Broncos development player from the age of 12, but aligned himself with Melbourne last year after Brisbane opted to sign fellow monster forward Payne Haas.
In the past year the 197cm teenage sensation made his Intrust Super Cup debut with the Sunshine Coast Falcons, switched to Easts mid-season due to injuries and went on to represent his state in the under-18s and under-20s.
He has also continued to blossom under the tutelage of Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, as well as Storm skipper Cameron Smith and veteran prop Jesse Bromwich.
As he prepares to carry his strong form into Saturday’s preliminary final against Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park, Fa’asuamaleaui said his focus was on doing everything he could to improve his game.
“I’m taking it step by step,” he said of his career.
“I know I’m young at the moment and so I’m just being a sponge, soaking up all the information and experience from the older boys like Cam and Jesse Bromwich.”
Burleigh will host Easts in the preliminary final on Saturday, with the winner to progress to a grand final showdown with Redcliffe at Suncorp Stadium on September 23.
MOE'S RISE - JANUARY 11, 2018
MOEAKI Fotuaika became one of the longest-contracted players on the Gold Coast Titans’ books.
His new four-year deal marks a drastic turnaround from the situation he found himself in last pre-season.
Fotuaika finished up at renowned NRL nursery Keebra Park State High School in 2016 without any real sniff of a professional contract. The prop was eventually invited to a Titans trial and made enough of an impression to earn an opportunity with the club’s under-20 side, coached by Ben Woolf.
“He was a bit of a late-bloomer,” said Woolf, who has been hired as Tweed Heads Queensland Cup coach following the disbanding of the National Youth Competition.
“He is a really tough kid, has got a really good work ethic. That’s probably his biggest strength with the footy ability on top.
“He got his way on to the bench for Round 1. I think he played 60 minutes off the bench which is a fair effort, got man of the match and started every game from there.”
Fotuaika has since gone from strength to strength, earning a Junior Kiwis call-up at age 17, winning Gold Coast’s under-20 joint player of the year award and scoring a six-week train-and-trial deal to mix it with the club’s top squad before Christmas.
New conditioning guru Hayden Knowles was among those quickly singing his praises, declaring “he has blown me away on a daily basis”.
So when the 18-year-old’s six weeks were wrapping up, the Titans moved fast.
Fotuaika will be on a development player contract for the remainder of the year before stepping up to a full deal for seasons 2019, ’20 and ’21.
“It’s my turn now to repay them for the faith that they have paid me,” he said.
Gold Coast have not renewed their other train-and triallist, Apiata Noema, beyond intermittent sessions with the NRL squad.
He is set to play for Burleigh in the Intrust Super Cup.
FIFITA'S RISE - September 6, 2016
SOUTHS Logan Magpies rising star David Fifita is the best rugby league junior in the country in the eyes of outgoing coach Josh Hannay.
Hannay, who will reunite with the North Queensland Cowboys as an assistant coach next year, was on hand at the Queensland Rugby League awards last week to see the Queensland Under-16 representative named joint Cyril Connell Cup player of the Year with Toowoomba’s Cory Paix.
“He’s got enormous talent, regardless of winning the award,” Hannay said.
“He’s probably the best junior in the country currently.
“He’s generally a lock/forward – I think he’ll play his best football in the backrow – whether that’s in the middle or on the edge I’m not sure.”
The former Queensland centre said the skills and size of Fifita, who is signed to the Brisbane Broncos, made him stand out.
“He’s a big guy but it’s more than just his size. He’s got a really high skill level and he does all the little things well,” Hannay said.
FLASHBACK - JANUARY 31, 2017
TYRONNE Roberts-Davis and Alexander Brimson have come a long way in a short time since playing school footy together for Keebra Park State High School.
The Gold Coast under-20s duo are set for a chance on the big stage in Titans colours this weekend after being named in a 19-man Auckland Nines squad.
Roberts-Davis, an exciting outside back, is looking forward to having room to move in the Nines format and predicted his 2014 and 2015 schoolmate Brimson, better known as “AJ”, will excel.
“AJ is a little fast fellow,” said the 94kg Kempsey product. “This will suit him pretty good because he used to be a touch player.”
He fondly recalled memories of him playing fullback for Keebra, with Brimson at halfback.
The latter added: “We’re good mates off the field … it’s definitely good that we get to enjoy it (the Nines) together.”
Roberts-Davis conceded nerves were kicking in after his “surprise” selection and while noting it is a top opportunity for a young gun to put himself on the map, much like Agnatius Paasi did last year, he is not expecting to contend for an NRL debut until at least 2018.
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Joining Roberts-Davis in the squad is his cousin Tyrone Roberts, while fellow relative James Roberts will be in action for Brisbane.
Titans under-20s coach Ben Woolf hailed the 19-year-old a “very good finisher”.
“He’s just one of those guys that has got a knack for getting across the try line,” he said.
Brimson, 18, is a Gold Coast local who earned a call-up to Woolf’s side after a Mal Meninga Cup campaign that led to joint competition-wide player of the year honours as well as the Mat Rogers Medal.
“He is probably still a bit light and immature in build to probably match it with men week in, week out but if he gets the ball in his hands he can definitely cause some headaches,” Woolf said of the 85kg half.
“He’s very good on his feet and very quick off the mark, he’s got a nice tidy little kicking game and is a good organiser and ballplayer as well.”
The pair, both carpenters, will be joined by under-20s teammate Max King, who enjoyed a standout 2016 and has since been upgraded to a top-25 contract.
Woolf expects the weekend to be of huge value to the rookies even if they see limited game time.
“Just the experience being around those professional fulltime guys and being in that environment will be a massive benefit for them,” he said.
- TO COME IN THE SERIES: David Fifita, Moeaki Fotuaika and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
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