FOGARTY’S REVENGE
TITAN COMING FOR BIG PAPA:
JAMAL Fogarty is beefed up and ready to take on the NRL as a running threat for the first time as the Gold Coast Titans halfback.
Fogarty’s 12-month transformation from club football playmaker to musclebound NRL star is nearing completion.
Since joining the club in the latter half of the 2020 pre-season, Fogarty has punched above his weight but is now ready to dish out the hits of his own – especially if he gets the chance to take on his football nemesis, Canberra Raider Josh Papalii. Fogarty, 27, has not yet lived down the ignominy of being cut down from behind by the Maroons prop, which is one of many reasons he has tackled an off-season in the gym with gusto. “I cop it from our middles every session we do speed work,” Fogarty said. “Even people in public will come up to me like, ‘You’re the guy Papalii ankletapped’ and I have to be like, ‘yeah, that’s me.’
“We’ve been doing a bit of speed work technique down on the field so hopefully I can get the benefits in the season.
“If I do make a linebreak I know to run to the corner post this time and not keep running straight.” Fogarty hits the gym four times a week, with two sessions on his upper body and two for his lower body, on top of the Titans work on the field.
He has added 3kg of muscle while reducing his skinfolds testing results, which measure body fat percentage. Fogarty says that muscle mass, combined with his speed training, will allow him to take on defenders in the line and put on a big hit or two of his own in 2021.
“Hopefully a bit more size can get me one or two linebreaks this year or help me tackle the big fellas coming down my edge,” he said.
“Last year I was just going with what was happening but this year I feel as though I belong in the team.
“Hopefully my performances can go up a notch each week with a couple more linebreaks, a bit more running and slowing those big boys down (in defence).”
Fogarty was a potent runner with the Burleigh Bears in 2019, winning the Intrust Super Cup’s most valuable player award, but was content to find his feet as a ballplayer in the top grade.
Burleigh coach Rick Stone said Fogarty looked poised to throw off those shackles in his second season.
“I didn’t think we saw a lot of Jamal’s running last year which was understandable because he was finding his feet,” Stone said.
“As he gets confident and a better understanding of the six-again rule he’ll spot more opportunities to run. He’s put on a few kilos (of muscle), found his feet and everyone will see more of his running game if he gets a chance this year.”
The Titans are in red-hot shape at the close of January, with major credit owed to the team’s new strength and conditioning staff led by high performance manager Klint Hoare. He, along with the Titans nutrition team, have helped implement training and diet strategies that have turbocharged their development, particularly in the case of Fogarty.
Eliminating soft drinks and dessert from his diet, portion control at mealtime and restricting bingeful “cheat days” into naughty meals has been the key.
“The S&C staff have brought heaps of energy to the playing group as a staff, and as players we like seeing that,” Fogarty said. “It makes us want to rip in when the coaches are coming in upbeat and we’re happy to work hard for them.
“Every is enjoying training, everyone is coming in smiling. The place is in a real good spot at the moment.”