NRL superstar David Fifita has recovered from the rib injury that left Gold Coast Titans fans nervous watching the All Stars match but has been rested for the club’s first NRL trial game.
With a development contract potentially on the line, Klese Haas is a chance to replace Fifita and line up against his brother, Brisbane Broncos enforcer Payne, for the first time in an NRL fixture.
Maori All Stars fullback Jordan Rapana shoulder-charged Fifita early in the first half of Saturday night’s All Stars match, leaving one of the toughest players in the league in visible pain. Fifita was subbed out of the contest but later returned.
After the game, Indigenous All Stars coach Laurie Daley predicted Fifita’s injury could force him to “miss a week or two”, but the barnstorming back-rower has recovered quicker than expected.
A source at the Titans told News Corp that Fifita trained on Thursday but coach Justin Holbrook had chosen to rest him for Saturday’s pre-season clash with the loxjmtzywcal rivals at Cbus Super Stadium.
The Titans have plenty of other options in the back row, with the likes of Haas, Sam McIntyre, Charlie Murray and Jacob Alick all selected in the squad for the first trial.
Toby Sexton and Herman Ese’ese loom as two Titans players to watch on Saturday night.
Sexton was given the keys to the kingdom last year – the young halfback played only four games in his debut season but Holbrook opted to re-sign him to a three-year deal rather than push to keep Jamal Fogarty and Ash Taylor on the books.
Ese’ese, meanwhile, lost “eight or nine kilos” by his own estimation in the off-season and is feeling fit and ready to take on the season.
“Just the way the game’s going, I thought I’d strip a few more kilos off and get used to the game speed,” he said.
“I’m moving across the park a lot easier and just feeling lighter on my feet. I’m not breathing as heavily.
“It’s been a good pre-season. I’m pretty happy with how I’ve been going.”
Ese’ese said he looked forward to the clash of the two Haas brothers.
“It’s always good watching brothers go at it, a bit of brotherly love, but I’m backing the young Haas (Klese),” he said.
