Junior Development

[mdrew]

2021 saw Titans contracted Sam Stephenson play in the Gold Coast Rugby League U15 Division One competition for Burleigh including starting the 2021 Grand Final at five eight against Burleigh Maroon.

Sam Stephenson who operated on the right in the Grand Final made some strong runs, including a line break in the 18th minute, when he made thirty metres to get the ball into Burleigh Maroon territory after running onto an off-loading just outside his own twenty metre area.

Sam Stephenson also had a solid Grand Final from a defensive perspective including in the 49th minute when he stood his ground and was able to hold up a charging Burleigh Maroon front rower over the line after he had charged onto the ball from close range neat the play the ball.

[mdrew]

2021 saw Titans contracted Philip Hakaraia-Ngamotu play for the Burleigh Bears in the Gold Coast Rugby League U16 Division One competition, including starting the Grand Final against the Southport Tigers at right second row.

Philip Hakaraia-Ngamotu made some strong runs in Burleigh’s 24 – 18 Grand Final victory, none better than in the 33rd minute when he made fifteen metres through the centre of the Southport forward pack from a penalty restart.

[mdrew]

In 2021 Titans contracted saw Bailey McConnell play for the Burleigh Bears in the Gold Coast Rugby League U16 Division One competition, including starting the Grand Final against the Southport Tigers at halfback, operating on his usual left side of the field.

Bailey McConnell recorded a line break assist in the 30th minute of the Grand Final when from inside his own twenty metre area, Bailey McConnell took on the Southport right sided defensive line, getting part way through the line and throwing a great right arm around the corner off-load to put his left second rower on a fifty metre run down the left touchline.

Bailey McConnell made a line break of his own in the 37th minute when from just inside his own territory Bailey McConnell ran off a good off-load from his lock to break two tackles and make twenty metres before he was dragged down from behind.

Bailey McConnell then threw the last pass for Burleigh’s 58th minute Grand Final winning try by the Bears left centre to break an 18 all deadlock when he threw a cut-out pass to his left around ten metres out from the try line to put the ball onto the chest of the Burleigh try scorer.

[mdrew]

In late August 2021, Josh Lynn was named in the Queensland City U17 squad for a two match series against a Queensland U17 Country squad with Josh Lynn starting the match at five eight and scoring in the 9th minute as well as kicking eight conversions from nine attempts.

Josh Lynn scored in the 9th minute when he backed up a City break that started deep inside their own territory with Josh Lynn receiving the ball around thirty metres out from the line off a Seth Nikotemo pass with Josh Lynn then outpacing the Country cover defence to dive over untouched in the left corner. Ironically Josh Lynn then missed the conversion, his only miss of the afternoon.

Josh Lynn also recorded a try assist in the 4th minute when after sliding the through the Country defence on the left side of the field from twelve metres out, Josh Lynn passed the ball back inside to put Jye Gray over with the five eight then able to bring the ball around to put the ball down under the posts.

In addition to scoring one try, Josh Lynn also made a number of other telling plays including a 3rd minute line break assist when from just ten metres out from his own line, Josh Lynn ran the ball to the line from a City scrum win, getting part way through the line before getting the ball away to Robert Toia who charged eighty metres downfield.

Playing the entire seventy minutes of the match Josh Lynn ran for sixty two metres (five post contact), broke four tackles and made nine tackles at a 90% tackling efficiency.

Josh Lynn was also heavily involved in both of Robert Toia’s second half tries. On the first occasion, in the 60th minute, Josh Lynn put up the bomb to the left side of the field that Robert Toia picked up to score and then in the 66th minute Josh Lynn threw the final pass to Robert Toia who was able to get the ball down in the left corner just before being forced into touch.

[mdrew]

In late August 2021, Titans contracted Josiah Pahulu was named in the Queensland City U17 squad for a two match series against a Queensland U17 Country squad with Josiah Pahulu starting the match from the bench coming on midway through the first half and making an immediate impact from a defensive perspective.

Playing twenty nine minutes Josiah Pahulu ran for fifty eight metres (twenty two post contact) and made fourteen tackles at a 93.33% tackling efficiency.

[mdrew]

Titans contracted Izayah Petrichvich has been named in the Burleigh Bears U16 Cyril Connell Cup squad.

In February 2021 Izayah Petrichvich took part in the South Coast U15 school boy trials and was named in the South Coast Squad for the QSSRL Championships as a result of his trial performances and started the Championship Final against Met West on the left wing.

At the completion of the Championships, Izayah Petrichvich was named on the left wing in the 2021 QSSRL U15 School Boy Merit Team alongside numerous South Coast team mates such as Sunny Kama, Zane Harrison and Riley Buchanan.

On Day One against Met West Izayah Petrichvich started the match on the left wing and scored South Coast’s first try of the Championships when in the 5th minute he took an intercept and raced eighty metres to dive over in the left corner.

Izayah Petrichvich scored his second try of the match in the 27th minute when he benefited from a great pass down a short left blind side from Jett Bryce to crash over in the left corner.

Izayah Petrichvich heavily involved in Jett Bryce’s 38th minute try when Nayte Saaga put in a chip kick to the left wing which was collected by Izayah Petrichvich who off-loaded in one movement to Jett Bryce to run away to score under the posts.

Izayah Petrichvich also scored on Day Two against Capricornia when in the 50th minute he anticipated a long pass to his side of the field, taking an intercept and running eighty five metres to score under the posts.

His intercept try capped a couple of impressive minutes for Izayah Petrichvich as in the 58th minute he came off his wing to smash the Capricornia right second rower and as he was forcing him back stole the ball in the one on one tackle.

2021 also saw Izayah Petrichvich once again represent Coombabah State High School in school boy rugby league, starting Round One of the Walters Cup against Redcliffe State High School at left centre.

Izayah Petrichvich also started at left centre in Round Four against Ipswich State High School scoring one try and setting up another in Coombabah’s 14 all draw.

Izayah Petrichvich scored in the 32nd minute when he backed up his left winger to get the ball nineteen metres out and was able to surge away from the cover defence to get the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Izayah Petrichvich’s try assist came in the 7th minute when he showed quick hands to get the ball away to his left down a short blindside and close to the try line to put his left winger over in the corner.

Izayah Petrichvich scored once again in Round FIve against Forest Lake State High School when in the 29th minute from the left centre position, Izayah Petrichvich received a pass from his inside and was able to dive over in the left corner.

Izayah Petrichvich also started at left centre in Round Six against Marsden State High School.

Izayah Petrichvich continued at left centre in Round Seven against Keebra Park and came close to scoring in the 15th minute when he was held up over the line after receiving the ball from an off-load around ten metres from the line.

[lonegull]

Mdrew do you know if their are any JTS games planned in the next couple of months, from memory we usually play the tigers

[mdrew]

In late August 2021, Titans contracted Arama Hau was named in the Queensland City U17 squad for a two match series against a Queensland U17 Country squad with Arama Hau starting the match from the bench.

Playing twenty five minutes Arama Hau ran for ninety eight metres (thirty two post contact), made a line break, broke four tackles and made eleven tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

[mdrew]

Usually mate, but the annual match was not played this year due to covid. The Titans contracted players restart training early next month I believe in preparation for the 2022 season.

Mdrew do you know if their are any JTS games planned in the next couple of months, from memory we usually play the tigers

[mdrew]

Young PBC outside back Ray Puru deservedly signed a contract with the Titans early in 2021 and is certainly a long term prospect with outstanding speed and potential.

In October 2021 Ray Puru was named in the Burleigh Bears U16 Cyril Connell Cup squad.

In May 2021 Ray Puru was part of the South Coast U15 QSSRL School Boy representative side, starting the Championship Final against Met West at fullback and scored in the 31st minute of the Final.

In the 31st minute, Ray Puru looped around to the right behind Zane Harrison, receiving the ball thirty metres out and to put to simply from there Ray Puru was just too quick for the defence blowing through the defensive line and getting the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and right corner post.

Ray Puru would not even have been in a position to score had it not been for another outstanding play of his just a minute prior when he raced to his left to field a Met West attacking grubber kick twenty metres out from his own line. As soon as he took possession, Ray Puru headed back towards centre field before a left foot step took him back towards the right wing, breaking four tackles along the way and making twenty metres.

Ray Puru split the defensive line once again in the 39th minute when he ran onto the ball on the left side of the field, thirty metres out from the line, stepping off both feet to get to ten metres out when he off-loaded to his left to five eight Nayte Saaga who got to within two metres of the line before he offloaded to his left for Jett Bryce to dive over fifteen metres in from the left corner post.

Ray Puru showcased his elite footwork in the 18th minute of the Championship Final when he ran the ball to the right after a South Coast scrum win, stepping off his left foot on three separate occasions in his run that made fourteen metres.

Ray Puru recorded a Championship Final try assist in the 24th minute when he took the ball down a short right blindside ten metres out and popping a good ball to Jac Finnigan who crashed over in the right corner.

Ray Puru started at fullback on Day One of the Championships as South Coast took on Met West with Ray Puru producing a dazzlingly stepping run in the 20th minute when after receiving the ball from the back of a scrum on the right side of the field, Ray Puru produced a series of left foot steps across field, bamboozingly a number of defenders before off-loading to Zane Harrison.

Ray Puru showcased his ball playing ability in the 27th minute when he chimed into the backline on the right side of the field and put right centre Joseph Tupuse away on a thirty run down the right side of the field before he was able to off-load on his inside.

Day Two saw Ray Puru once again start at fullback against Capricornia recording a 39th minute line break when he exploded off the mark from forty metres out from his own line after receiving an off-load whilst standing still. Ray Puru simply exploded through the Capricornia defensive line and got to twenty metres out before being tackled high and justifiably was awarded a penalty.

Also in the 16th minute, Ray Puru made fourteen metres from a winding stepping run after receiving the ball from the dummy half, getting the ball out of his own twenty metre area.

In 2021 Ray Puru continued at PBC as part of the school’s Elite Rugby League Program and made an impressive start from fullback for the PBC Walters Cup side in their Round One 16 all draw against Ipswich State High School.

Ray Puru contributed a try assist to PBC’s cause in the 9th minute when he chimed into the PBC backline on the right side of the field, holding the ball until the last minute before throwing a flat cut-out ball to put his right winger over in the corner.

It was clear that Ray Puru stood a class apart in the match as early as the 3rd minute with his initial kick return of the match. Ray Puru tracked the ball to collect it in the right corner and moving to his left getting on the outside of two Ipswich SHS chasers to make twenty metres.

Ray Puru also started at fullback in Round Two against Forest Lake State High School and he was once again at his electric best contributing a try assist and two line breaks to PBC’s cause in their 28 – 6 victory.

Ray Puru’s try assist came in the 24th minute when after receiving an off-load from Jonah Beaven, Ray Puru drew the Forest Lake SHS right winger to send his left centre on an uninterrupted thirty five metre run to the try line.

Ray Puru made his first line break of the match in just the 2nd minute when he retrieved a Forest Lake SHS clearing kick, moving to his left before bursting down the left touchline making twenty four metres before being tackled and after his attempt at a quick play the ball was stifled he was awarded a penalty.

Ray Puru recorded another line break in the 35th minute when he ran the ball from a PBC scrum win on the left beating three defenders in a twenty metre run but just as he was being tackled the ball unfortunately came loose.

Ray Puru also started at fullback in Round Three against Coombabah State High School, recording two a try assists. Ray Puru recorded his first try assist in the 44th minute when he collected the ball ten metres from his own try line and ran to his right and literally ran around the Coombabah SHS left side defence, racing seventy five metres down the right touchline before drawing the fullback and passing to his left to Zane Harrison who raced away to score under the posts.

Ray Puru recorded his second try assist in the 47th minute, when Will Saunders darted out of dummy half down a short right blindside ten metres from the line, drawing a defender before getting the ball away to Zane Harrison who threw an out the back pass to Ray Puru who put his right winger in the corner.

Ray Puru also had a very solid match from fullback in Round Four against Marsden State High School and was also solid in Round Five against Keebra Park SHS after once again starting at fullback.

Ray Puru was at his dominating best from fullback in Round Six against Redcliffe State High School scoring a first half hat trick with the three tries coming in a six minute burst. Literally Ray Puru wreaked havoc every time that he touched the ball.

Ray Puru scored his opening try in the 19th minute after receiving the ball on the left side of the field, twenty two metres from the line and was simply too quick, easily slicing through the Redcliffe right sided defence to score five metres in from the left corner.

Ray Puru added his second try in the 22nd minute with the try once again coming on the left side of the field. After he received the ball nineteen metres from the line, Ray Puru cut off his left foot to beat one defender and then cut back inside to beat a second before carrying a third defender over the line to get the ball down five metres in from the left corner post.

Ray Puru competed his hat trick in the 25th minute, and this time he scored on the right side of the field after he received the ball twenty five metres out. After receiving the ball, Ray Puru ran to his right beating one defender with a left arm fend and from there Ray Puru outpaced the Redcliffe cover defence to score in the right corner.

Ray Puru also started at fullback (although he played some left wing in the second half) in the final round after the Covid 19 loackdown was lifted against Wavell State High School, scoring twice as PBC qualified for the final.

Ray Puru’s opening try came in the 38th minute when he crossed in the left corner after some good work on his inside. Ray Puru completed his double in the 45th minute when he found space down the left touchline, initially receiving the ball just inside his own territory. When Ray Puru came to the Wavell SHS winger who had dropped back, Ray Puru chipped over the top and after the ball had take a wicked bounce, Ray Puru retrieved the ball and rached out to get the ball down mid-way between the corner post and goal posts on the left side of the field.

Ray Puru almost scored another try in the match when he chased through a mid-field bomb that was put up by Zane Harrison. The Wavell SHS fullback let the ball bounce and Ray Puru raced through to regather the ball but was eventually tackled ten metres out from the try line.

Ray Puru also started at fullback in PBC’s semi-final victory over Wavell State High School and produced a great solo try for PBC.

In the 35th minute Ray Puru flew onto an off-load around the halfway mark, immediately cutting towards the left wing. Ray Puru was chased by the Wavell SHS fullback who got to Ray Puru just short of the line. Ray Puru however was not held and immediately got to his feet and dive over to score three metres in from the left corner post.

Ray Puru had made an earlier line break in the 11th minute when from a kick return, he ran to his left making twenty metres down the left touchline before being rounded up.

Whilst Ray Puru was outstanding running the ball, he was also solid defensively including in the 46th minute with the game still on the line, Ray Puru was involved in holding up the Wavell SHS fullback.

The 2021 Walters Cup Grand Final against Keebra Park SHS saw Ray Puru named to start on the right wing scoring twice in the first half as PBC won the Grand Final 30 – 12. Whilst he started the match on the right wing, Ray Puru moved to fullback for portions in the second half of the Grand Final.

Ray Puru scored his first try of the Grand Final in the 9th minute when he was on the end of a PBC backline movement from a scrum win inside the Keebra park SHS twenty metre area with Ray Puru diving over in the right corner untouched.

Ray Puru’s second try was a great individual effort in the 21st minute. Ray Puru received the ball whilst stationary around twelve metres from the line, right on the touchline. Ray Puru darted inside a fraction before exploding down the right touchline, reaching out to get the ball down with his right arm in the right corner under heavy pressure from the Keebra Park SHS cover defence.

[mdrew]

Titan Vaka Sikahele will undertake the 2021/22 pre-season with the Titans NRL squad and will look to impress Justin Holbrook and the other NRL coaches.

In early May 2021 a Titans U19 side travelled to North Queensland to play an U19 Cowboys selection in a curtain raiser to a Cowboys v Broncos NRL match with Vaka Sikahele starting the match at hooker in his first match in a Titans jersey.

After being injured in a pre-season training mishap, Vaka Sikahele was named on Burleigh’s extended bench for the Round Two local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls but moved onto the bench late in the week and celebrated by scoring in his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut.

Vaka Sikahele scored one of the stranger tries that you will see from a run out of dummy half in the 54th minute. After Burleigh had kicked off after a Tweed Heads try, the ball hit the right goal post on the full bouncing back into the field. Tristian Powell was able to retrieve the ball on the bounce and get to within eleven metres of the line. Vaka Sikahele got into dummy half and ran to his left with the Tweed Heads defence in disarray to dive over between two defender’s mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Vaka Sikahele came onto the field late in the first half, with his first run out of dummy half coming just a few minutes later in the 34th minute when ran to his left, breaking the Seagulls line and making twenty metres, beating four defenders along the way to get the ball to within forty metres of the try line.

In addition to some impressive runs and distribution out of dummy half Vaka Sikahele was also good defensively including in the 44th when he along with Isaac Matalavea-Booth hit and stopped Seagulls front rower Ben Liyou just centre metres out.

Vaka Sikahele also started from the bench in Round Three against the Western Mustangs coming into the match in the dummy half role towards the end of the first half. Vaka Sikahele was in the action almost immediately running out of dummy half to his right down a blindside and took the ball ten metres to the line before passing to his right to Cole Geyer who then quickly got the ball out to his right for Ronin Rio to dive over in the right corner.

After missing Round Four due to playing for the Titans U19 side, Vaka Sikahele started Round Five against the Northern Pride from the bench.

Vaka Sikahele was on the bench once again in Round Six against the Townsville Blackhawks, coming into the match towards the end of the first half in a running forward role before spending time at dummy half in the second half. Vaka Sikahele made the most of both of the roles that he played in the match and in the 51st minute, whilst playing as a running forward made thirteen metres, the majority post contact, to get the ball to the halfway mark.

Vaka Sikahele was back in the starting side at hooker in Round Seven against the Central Queensland Capra’s before starting from the bench in Round Eight against the Redcliffe Dolphins and in Round Nine against the Mackay Cutters.

Vaka Sikahele also started at hooker in the Round Eleven local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls and scored a double with his tries coming in the 16th and 55th minutes. In the 16th minute Vaka Sikahele moved into dummy half seven metres from the line and then darted to his right before stepping back to his left to beat the Seagulls marker before crashing through two more defenders who had stationed themselves on the try line.

Vaka Sikahele scored his second try in the 59th minute when once again he darted out of dummy half to his right, on this occasion from 32 metres out. After getting around the markers Vaka Sikahele cut back to his left to the area behind the play the ball and then was easily outpace the Seagulls defence to score under the post.

Vaka Sikahele was also named to start at hooker in the previously postponed Round Ten match against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

After a Covid 19 enforced hiatus, Vaka Sikahele was named to start at hooker in Round Sixteen against the Ipswich Jets.

At the 2021 Queensland Rugby League Awards Night Vaka Sikahele finished with three votes for the Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Season Award.

[mdrew]

In late August 2021, Titans contracted Seth Nikotemo was named in the Queensland City U17 squad for a two match series against a Queensland U17 Country squad with Seth Nikotemo starting the match at left second row and scoring in the 19th minute of the match when after playing the ball twenty metres out from the line, Seth Nikotemo backed up on the inside after the City left winger darted down a short blindside. Seth Nikotemo juggled the inside pass above his head but was able to eventually take possession and round the Country fullback and then was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

Seth Nikotemo also recorded a 9th minute try assist when he threw the last pass to his left to Josh Lynn to run away to score after Seth Nikotemo had run forty metres after charging into a gap from inside his own territory off a Blake Mozer pass.

Playing fifty six minutes Seth Nikotemo ran for 109 metres (thirty post contact), broke three tackles and made nine tackles at a 90% tackling efficiency.

[mdrew]

Talented young five eight Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo from Auckland New Zealand has signed a three year contract with the Gold Coast Titans up until the end of the 2024 season and will move over to the Gold Coast in 2022 to attend Keebra Park State High School and Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo will also play for Burleigh in the 2022 U16 Cyril Connell Cup competition.

Prior to signing with the Titans, Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo was a member of the New Zealand Warriors Future Warriors Program and was offered a contract by both the Warriors and Bulldogs as well as the Titans.

In Auckland, Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo attended Auckland Grammar School, represented the Manurewa Marlins representative side and in late 2021 Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo captained the New Zealand Warriors Future Warriors side in a match against a Tao Samoa U15 selection.

At Auckland Grammar School, Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo is the youngster ever First XV School Boy Rugby player, an impressive feat considering the school has produced in excess of fifty All Blacks.

[Hail Sezer]

Talented young five eight Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo from Auckland New Zealand has signed a three year contract with the Gold Coast Titans up until the end of the 2024 season and will move over to the Gold Coast in 2022 to attend Keebra Park State High School and Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo will also play for Burleigh in the 2022 U16 Cyril Connell Cup competition.

Prior to signing with the Titans, Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo was a member of the New Zealand Warriors Future Warriors Program and was offered a contract by both the Warriors and Bulldogs as well as the Titans.

In Auckland, Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo attended Auckland Grammar School, represented the Manurewa Marlins representative side and in late 2021 Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo captained the New Zealand Warriors Future Warriors side in a match against a Tao Samoa U15 selection.

At Auckland Grammar School, Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo is the youngster ever First XV School Boy Rugby player, an impressive feat considering the school has produced in excess of fifty All Blacks.

This is seriously impressive. Very excited to see Amarni's development.

[mdrew]

The first rugby league season for Jojo Fifita:

In early May 2021 a Titans U19 side travelled to North Queensland to play an U19 Cowboys selection in a curtain raiser to a Cowboys v Broncos NRL match with Jojo Fifita starting the match on the left wing in his first match in a Titans jersey.

Jojo Fifita made his rugby league debut in Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition when he started on the right wing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Souths Logan Magpies.

Jojo Fifita’s first hit-up in rugby league came in just the 2nd minute of the match when he took the ball one metre out of his own line to the right of the dummy half, making thirteen metres up field.

Jojo Fifita made his first rugby league line break in the 12th minute when he flew onto a cut-out pass to his wing, with Jojo Fifita taking the ball on the halfway mark and literally flying down the right wing, running over one defender and easily outpacing the cover defence. When he got to the fullback, Jojo Fifita was able to position is inside support well to get the ball away to Klese Hass on around the twenty metre mark.

In the 25th minute, Jojo Fifita showed that he is willing to do the hard work of bringing the ball out of his own territory when he made twelve metres from a hit-up off to the left of the dummy half to get the ball out to the thirty metre mark.

When the second half started Jojo Fifita was back in the action almost immediately with a bullocking run of twenty metres out of dummy half, with at least 60% of those metres post contact with Jojo Fifita not stopped until he got fifteen metres inside Magpies territory.

In the 45th minute, Jojo Fifita took the second hit-up off the kick-off to Ediq Ambrosyev’s try and was even under heavy pressure able to get the ball out to the twenty metre mark, breaking three tackles and making nine metres.

Late in the match with Tweed Heads chasing the match, Jojo Fifita almost scored a late try. Souths Logan were bringing the ball out of their own territory when Charlie Murray produced a one on one steal and was able to find space to throw a long pass to his right that found Jojo Fifita is space and but for a diving tackle that halted Jojo Fifita by just one leg, he would have dived over in the corner.

Jojo Fifita moved to the left wing in the Round Two local derby against Burleigh with Jojo Fifita scoring his first ever rugby league try in the 3rd minute of the Seagulls 32 – 24 victory.

As noted Jojo Fifita’s try came in the 3rd minute and it was worth the wait. Taine Udjur-Berghan put up a bomb to his left wing and Jojo Fifita came through and jumped above Ronin Rio to take the ball on the full three metres out from the line and he was able to scramble over to get the ball down in the left corner from there.

Jojo Fifita went looking for the ball in the 16th minute when he came off his wing to take a hit-up off the dummy half through the centre of the field, making thirteen metres before he was dragged down on his own twenty metre mark.

Jojo Fifita showed that the skill of a quick (and accurate) catch and pass is transferrable between rugby and rugby league when in the 27th minute whilst under intense pressure caught and passed in the same motion, getting the ball away to his left to Caleb Hodges.

A sequence of efforts in the 37th minute highlighted that Jojo Fifita was taken to rugby league easily and quickly. First off, Jojo Fifita made a heavy well executed front on tackle on tackle on Blake Campbell that knocked the ball loose with Burleigh on the attack and then from the subsequent set of six, Jojo Fifita came off his left wing to take a hit-up and make fifteen metres, breaking five tackles along the way. The Jojo Fifita went all of the way over to the right side of the field to make fifteen metres more running with the ball.

It was interesting to see that early in the second half Jojo Fifita spent time at left centre, alternating with Caleb Hodges and it was from left centre in the 42nd minute where Jojo Fifita made a hard working seven metres to get the ball more than twenty metres away from his own try line.

Jojo Fifita’s plus speed was on display for all to see with the 50th minute when he turned and chased the Burleigh right winger forty metres before making a big tackle ten metres out from the line. Jojo Fifita gave him a fair start but caught him easily.

Once again in the 59th minute Jojo Fifita displayed that he is not afraid to get his hands dirty when he took the second hit-up from a changeover running through the centre of the field, making ten metres, six of which were post contact.

Jojo Fifita was also heavily involved in Glenn McGradey’s 71st minute try with Jojo Fifita starting the movement on the left which ended with Glenn McGradey scoring on the right. After receiving the ball Jojo Fifita who cut back towards centre field, breaking the line there before offloading to Ediq Ambrosyev who then got the ball away to his right to Jaylan To’O who then found Glenn McGradey to score on the right.

Jojo Fifita also was named to start on the left wing in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins however he was a late scratching.