Welcome to the NRL, JoJo Fifita

G’day Premium Members,

I’ve put together a little breakdown of JoJo Fifita’s reserve grade form ahead of his NRL debut this week but can’t send anything out here without first touching on State of Origin.

What a game…

Late starts in NZ, the bants, and its impact on the NRL comp leaves me as a fairly casual State of Origin fan, but that game last night is every bit why it is currently the pinnacle of the sport. From an entertainment standpoint, at least. The total disregard for their bodies early left me speechless and the way Queensland, in particular, responded to those opening exchanges had me on the edge of my seat.

I’m pulling for Ben Hunt to win the Dally M Medal this year and while the game doesn’t count for points, his performance in that one will help his case. Daly Cherry-Evans and his kicking stood out too. They kicked early in Game 2 and it didn’t pay off all that often, but with the dominance in the middle in Game 3, those early kicks had a huge impact. The Blues forwards barely made it back behind the ball at times.

Harry Grant and Kalyn Ponga were the match-winners for me, though. Grant is the best hooker in the game when he’s on the front foot. His deception helped Queensland get up the field and he pulled off the trickshot for points in good ball just before halftime. Ponga, my word. That’s the best game I’ve ever seen him play. His pay packet and place in the fullback pecking order will again be the focus the next time the Knights lose, but that is what he’s capable of with the right players around him. The Maroons needed somebody to step in and make up for Cameron Munster in attack and he did just that last night. Superb.

As for the Blues, I’ll be surprised if Freddy’s position as the coach doesn’t at least come under question. His ‘big calls’ didn’t pay off this time. Had he picked the best team available instead of relying on a Game 2 win and combinations to put the side together, the result could have been a lot different.

What a game, though. Early mornings in NZ are difficult enough without the heart racing at midnight. But we’re now getting into the pointy end of the NRL season, so let’s get back to business.

~ Jason

With JoJo Fifita named to make his debut this week, we’ve looked into his reserve grade form and how it might translate into the NRL.

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Rugby League Writers has spent the year covering the Tweed Seagulls in the Hostplus Cup and have been able to see JoJo Fifita earn his NRL debut with the Gold Coast Titans this week.

The 19-year-old has featured eight times for the Seagulls in 2022 scoring seven tries, breaking the line seven times and handing out two try assists. He’s quick, can break tackles (17 this year) and has the patience and ability to sum up a situation with the ball before making the right pass or finding the corner himself.

Any highlight packages introducing Fifita to the NRL will feature streaking runs down the sideline and finishes in the corner. He has looked comfortable on the end of Tweed’s wide-ranging shifts all season.

However, it’s his willingness and ability in yardage that is perhaps most encouraging. It’s an area of the field a lot of younger players might shy away from. Listed at 91kg, he’s not the biggest winger going around at Hostplus Cup or NRL level. Still, he puts his hand up for the tough carries and his contact and leg drive have turned numerous Tweed yardage sets around with a strong carry.

You can see how he breaks the first tackle before pushing through the second to earn his team 15 valuable metres here.

When given a little bit more time and space to wind up, Fifita is dangerous on kick returns. Tweed played in poor conditions against the Capras three weeks ago. Still, Fifita was able to apply some footwork to beat the initial kick-chase and pick up extra metres against a disjointed defensive line.

Unfortunately, we don’t get a lot of helpful angles to assess wing defence in the Hostplus Cup but Fifita hasn’t stood out as a weakness. Tweed typically slides in defence and he made good enough contact to complete this try saver in his last match for the Seagulls.

What we do know is that Fifita is reliable in the air. Whether it be collecting a cross-field kick from Lindon McGrady or defusing an opposition bomb, Fifita is confident and comfortable in the air. Given how much the Titans are struggling for points, the youngster will surely be an option on the last tackle this week. Perhaps Tweed teammate Tanah Boyd can find him in the air?

Fifita’s NRL debut has felt inevitable for a while now. It’s somewhat surprising not to have seen it happen sooner with how consistently he has performed in reserve grade. He has handled everything thrown at him this year and looks ready for his NRL debut on Sunday.

Fifita is signed with the Titans and has been destined for a crack in the top grade at some point, but it’s a worthwhile reminder that the Hostplus Cup is stacked with talent. It’s a nursery for young players and despite so few clubs considering those over 23 or 24 years old for an NRL debut, plenty look capable of stepping up. Check-in on the action at QPlus.tv and keep up with our work for the Tweed Seagulls.

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