Big unit Moeaki crushes Manly
HAT-TRICK hero Dale Copley believes dynamo Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika would be drawing the same hype as the likes of Payne Haas if he were at a big-market club.
Fotuaika was exceptional in Gold Coast’s 36-18 breakthrough victory against Manly on Friday night, carrying the ball for 181m.
He was ultimately beaten in that tally by front-row partner Jarrod Wallace (192m) but it was during a tough first half when the 19-year-old did much of his damage to keep his side in the contest.
“He’s a sensational kid,” Copley said of Fotuaika.
“I think if he was at one of the big clubs he would be talked about in the same light as Payne Haas and David Fifita and these young kids.
“He plays big minutes, he carries the ball really, really strong and he defends well. He is a hell of a player and we’re really lucky to have him.”
Fotuaika was generally overshadowed in schoolboy footy at Keebra Park, stuck behind starting props Haas and Thomas Mikaele, and continues to fly under the radar at NRL level.
He came close last year to representing Tonga, where his parents were born, but has had nowhere near the attention that Haas and Fifita have had – both have been touted for possible State of Origin debuts next month.
On the team front, the win at Lottoland snapped a fourgame losing streak that had heaped pressure on the Titans.
The side’s resilience has been questioned in recent weeks but a giant step was taken here in the absence of their best player, Jai Arrow, and the situation of being 12-0 down early in the match.
“Obviously there has been a fair bit of talk externally and internally about our pretty ordinary start to the year so it was nice to get a really gritty win on the back of some effort and toughness,” Copley said.
“Probably for the last couple of weeks, we’ve been really talking about what happens when momentum swings against you because it has been something we really haven’t handled well at all.
“(Friday) night was the first night that everything we have been talking about we actually backed up with actions. It was nice that when we got in that position, we were able to get back in the fight and not let one try turn into three or four.”
The 27-year-old winger has now scored five tries in his past two outings. “I didn’t have to do too much on most of them but I’ll keep taking them while they’re there for me,” he said.
Next up is a home game against the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon.