This was a moment where David Fifita laughed at the haters — and it was a big laugh.
The destructive back-rower has drawn a long list of detractors since signing a deal with the Titans said to be worth $1.2 million ahead of the 2021 season.
But as the Titans stormed to a 38-24 triumph to dash the Sea Eagles’ slim finals hopes on Sunday, Fifita unleashed a run that reminded the masses why Gold Coast powerbrokers threw the cheque book at him.
READ MORE: Ciraldo inks deal to become Bulldogs coach
READ MORE: Final-play controversy mars Raiders triumph
READ MORE: Dees slam ‘abhorrent’ attack on match-winner
During the second half of the Gold Coast fixture, Fifita charged onto the ball about 60 metres out, ripped through Josh Schuster and Josh Aloiai — two men weighing more than 100 kilograms — stumped Reuben Garrick with a dummy and outmuscled Jason Saab to score a superlative solo try.
“This is what David Fifita is capable of,” Paul Vautin said on Nine’s coverage.
“It’s bang, bang, bang. ‘Get out of my way, you bludgers!’ And away he goes.
“That’s what he should do every time he’s got the ball.
Brian Kelly scores off intercept
“He hit the ball at pace … and away he went.
“He was always going to be scoring from there.”
Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now.
Cameron Smith was stunned.
“They’re not small men who he’s run through … he just ran straight through them like a steam train!” Smith said.
Fifita had already had a glaring hiccup in the opening half of the game when he was bamboozled by Jake Trbojevic deep in Titans territory.
NRL Highlights: Titans v Sea Eagles – Round 22
Trbojevic fooled Fifita with a dummy and outwrestled Jayden Campbell to bag his first try of the season.
But Fifita’s unstoppable charge followed, before the former Bronco finished the match with 156 run metres and 17 tackles.
Fifita played an instrumental role as the Titans won their first game since Magic Round, when they edged the Dragons 20-16 in Brisbane.
Gold Coast and Wests Tigers both sit on 10 points but the Titans’ for and against has them just ahead, in 15th on the ladder.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
Discussion about this post