Tallis right person to lend hand

Mentor for $1m man

DAVID Fifita will have a secret weapon in his corner next season as the Titans recruit is to receive mentoring from ‘The Raging Bull’, former Queensland and Broncos skipper Gorden Tallis.

Fifita, the NRL’s latest $1 million player, will be under pressure to perform on a weekly basis in 2021 and he has turned to one of rugby league’s greatest back-rowers to help Gold Coast’s marquee signing build on his consistency.

When Fifita, 20, was torn over whether to stay loyal to the Broncos, it was a heart-toheart with Tallis that convinced him to back his ability and take a leap of faith with the oft-maligned Titans.

Tallis played 160 first-grade games for the Broncos but he is now a Titans ambassador and has offered to be a sounding board for Fifita.

“Gordie is a good lad and a great player,” Fifita said. “He keeps in touch with me every now and then, he swings me a text and I look up to a guy like that.

“We played in similar positions, so hopefully he can come into the Titans and teach us young boys.

“Gordie is a Queenslander like myself so he’s awesome.”

The straight-talking Tallis is one person Fifita feels he can trust. Their simpatico is palpable. Tallis was an explosive back-rower and so is Fifita. Culturally, the pair share links to the Torres Strait, the same region in which Fifita’s mother, Gwen, was reared.

There is a view Fifita will struggle to consistently deliver matchwinning performances that justify his mega salary but Tallis dismissed those concerns in August when the pair met for a candid discussion.

“I don’t believe the money will be too much pressure for Dave,” Tallis (above) said.

“Ultimately, Dave is a bit like Jason Taumalolo in that they are forwards. They aren’t in the playmaking spine.

“The playmakers get blamed for stuffing things up if teams aren’t organised but all Dave has to do is run hard like Taumalolo does and I believe he will do that because he has the natural talent.

“Even with the money Brisbane were offering him, he was going to have to perform there as well, so Dave just has to focus on doing what he does best.”

During the week, the Titans announced the signing of rugby sensation Jojo Fifita, believed to be a cousin of the Queensland Origin back-rower.

“I met Jojo when I was at Keebra Park,” Fifita said.

“He came for one of the trials and he killed it.

“We are related some way down the path but I saw him training the other day and he looks good ... having another Fifita is good.

“There is already one at the Sharks (Andrew) and one in the UK (David), so it’s good. I will take Jojo under my wing and look after him.”