Rugby league great Gorden Tallis is adamant that the Titans will be able to “unlock” David Fifita’s full potential following the 22-year-old’s disappointing 2022 campaign.
Fifita’s form last year saw him labelled as one of the most overpaid players in the competition, sitting on a reported $1.2 million-per-season.
Tallis explained that the Tongan international must develop combinations with a new-look Gold Coast spine to utilise his damaging ball-running ability.
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“Just on David Fifita, that schoolboy run where he just wants to get it off the ruck, it doesn’t work anymore,” Tallis said on Fox League’s pre-season coverage.
“They’ve worked out Dave, he’s got to get a combination with his nine, seven, one and six.”
With Kieran Foran joining the Titans on a two-year-deal, Tallis remains hopeful that the Kiwis half will be able to get the best out of one of the NRL’s scariest talents.
“I think we can unlock David Fifita,” Tallis said on Fox League.
“Kieran Foran just being so experienced … he’s won competitions.
“Just to unlock something … they just need a change of angle and (to) get him one-on-one.
“We all know what David Fifita can do.”
Meanwhile, rugby league supremo Phil Gould revealed he believes Fifita’s $1.2 million-per-season valuation has skewed the player market.
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Gould, who currently is in the midst of rebuilding the Bulldogs, believes players are seeing Fifita’s lofty price tag and comparing themselves to his salary.
”If you go out and pay $1.2 million for a rookie forward who’s had 30 games because he scores a try every now and then, then what’s James Tedesco worth? What is Nathan Cleary worth?” Gould said on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast last year.
“They play him off the bench … you can’t have a bench player on that kind of money.
“You can’t even have a back-rower on that sort of money unless he’s producing 80-minute performances every week and winning you games.”
“I said it would end up stifling them and I didn’t know if it would end up producing any better results, which is the way it’s turned out,” Gould said.
“Now that’s not David Fifita’s fault. He is a very talented player.”
