TITANS SIGN SPEED KING
Young gun celebrates birth of son with two-year extension. Nic Darveniza reports
THE fastest Gold Coast Titans player in history has celebrated the birth of his first child by signing a two-year contract extension to join the Titans top-30 squad for the first time.
Development squad member Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 19, hit a top speed of 36.5km/h in a Rugby League Gold Coast A-grade match last season.
It eclipsed the 35.9km/h top speed Phillip “The Hound” Sami reached chasing down Melbourne flyer Josh “The Fox” Addo-Carr in 2019 to earn his nickname and the previous title of Gold Coast’s fastest player.
Khan-Pereira impressed coaches with his application to training, piling on 8kg of muscle to reach his current playing weight of 84kg.
His reward was a significant pay rise and a two-year opportunity to unleash his speed on the NRL.
Khan-Pereira said the birth of his son Prince two weeks ago had added fuel to a burning desire to be a part of the first Titans team to win the NRL premiership.
“It was indescribable,” the teenager said on becoming a dad.
“Seeing him now, seeing him in person, it’s one of the best feelings.
“Having a baby is a different kind of love. I’d do anything for him.
“If anything it gives me a boost, makes me want to run even faster.”
Khan-Pereira has cheered for the Titans since moving to the region from Lismore as a nine-year-old.
He was witnessed the highs and lows and is desperate to help the Gold Coast club succeed.
“I’ve been with the Titans junior programs since I was 16,” he said.
“They were the first club to sign me up so I’d love to help them get that first premiership.
“Me and my dad has a sit-down a while ago, like ‘imagine being in the team that finally wins that first premiership’.
“I’m always thinking about that perspective. It would be amazing.”
Such is the Titans’ regard for KhanPereira’s speed the club signed him to a full-time senior contract before making his Intrust Super Cup debut.
There are shades of a young AddoCarr in the Keebra Park graduate’s game, with deadly speed and sharp instincts that give him opportunities to use it to full effect.
Since being released from the Titans bubble to gain more senior experience, Khan-Pereira has scored six tries in two starts for Burleigh in local A-grade football.
On Saturday he will line up against Israel Folau’s Southport Tigers at Owen Park at 3pm.