TINO’S TITANIC PITCH TO FIFITA

EXCLUSIVE

GOLD Coast-bound Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has urged offcontract Broncos star David Fifita to follow his lead and take a leap of faith, believing the pair can help turn the Titans into a premiership force.

The Titans will get a firsthand view of the 115kg monster they will inherit next season when Storm forward Fa’asuamaleaui takes on his future Gold Coast club in tonight’s clash at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Fa’asuamaleaui is totally committed to the Storm this season and Melbourne’s relocation to the Sunshine Coast represents a welcome return to the region where the 20-year-old cut his teeth in the Intrust Super Cup.

But when he severs ties with the Storm at season’s end, Fa’asuamaleaui will become a key weapon in the Titans’ cultural transformation, and he hopes his good mate Fifita arrives on the Gold Coast with him.

Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita forged a close bond as teenagers in Queensland junior representative teams and the Storm young gun hopes they can reunite at the Titans.

“I would love to see David Fifita with me at the Titans,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.

“Dave is one of my best mates and we would be great together. It would be a good help to have someone like Dave who would come from a good system at the Broncos and have the same motivations to turn the Titans into a force.

“He has a huge decision to make and if he stays at the Broncos, I will support whatever he decides because we will always be mates.

“But if Dave comes, it would be massive for the Titans.

“His talent is obvious but I’ve seen the way he trains and the way he holds himself as a person. A lot of people at the Titans would see how hard he trains and look up to him.

“I spoke to Dave the other day to see how his knee is going. I honestly don’t know what he will do. He hasn’t told me, but I guess I will find out soon.”

For now, Fa’asuamaleaui is keen to continue his journey at the Storm.

“I’m always excited to play for the Storm and it will mean a lot to play here on the Sunshine Coast where I have played a lot of football in the Intrust Super Cup,” he said.

“I guess I want to show the Titans what they are getting next year. A lot of people might say why would I want to leave a great club like Melbourne?

“Family was a big factor, but I also want to challenge myself and I would love to be part of helping the culture of the Titans.”