RISE OF A MACHINE
KEEBRA TYRO SET FOR THE BIG TIME
BOOM Broncos rookie David Fifita has all the makings of a future NRL star, with his high school coach Glen Campbell tipping him to one day dominate for Queensland and Australia.
The Gold Coast teenage sensation, who was last year dubbed the best schoolboy forward in 20 years by commentator Andrew Voss, will today don the green and gold for an under-23 team at the Commonwealth Championships.
But his former Keebra Park mentor believes it won’t be long until the rugby league world sees 17-year-old Fifita playing for Australia at the highest level.
The exciting prospect has been in the Broncos system since he was 15 and Campbell said he is on track to be an NRL star.
“I’ve always believed with David’s attitude, potential and the size of his body that he has all the assets to go all the way to the top and play for Australia,” Campbell said.
“He’s only young and he has parts of his game to still work on, but he has all the potential to play State of Origin and play for Australia.”
Brisbane insiders rate Fifita as one of their best young forward talents and it is understood he is being groomed to eventually move into the second-row, with the likes of Alex Glenn and Matt Gillett turning 30 this year.
Contracted until 2020, he is expected to play for Souths Logan in the Intrust Super Cup this year.
Fifita will be unleashed at the nine-a-side tournament for Australia today and tomorrow, in what is a lead-up event for the Commonwealth Games.
Australia take on Wales, Scotland and Fiji in the first day of action at Redcliffe’s Dolphin Stadium, with the finals to be played tomorrow.