After a disappointing season in which the million-dollar marquee was regularly scapegoated, Gold Coast Titans senior advisor and Kangaroos coach Mal Mening has launched into a staunch defence of David Fifita.
Fifita has faced immense scrutiny this year as the Titans have fallen off a cliff, now stuck in a battle with Wests Tigers for the wooden spoon. Heโs scored just six tries in 16 games during an injury-affected 2022, a significant downturn on his 2021 haul of 17 in 21 games.
The biggest reason for criticism has been the price tag, with Fifita on a deal worth $1.2 million a season.
But according to Meninga, the judgements are unfair and Fifita is in some ways paying the price for how high he set the bar of expectation so early in his career.
โIโll go on until the cows come home โ David Fifita is a gamebreaker,โ Meninga told SENQ Mornings.
โHeโs 22, he can win you footy games. When we bought Dave, that was his market value.
โDave gets picked on all the time because heโs a central figure and heโs on a lot of money, but at the end of the day heโs still a 22-year-old kid finding his way, and we believe his best years are in front of him.โ
Meninga pointed to the wider make-up of Justin Holbrookโs Titans team as a reason for Fifitaโs struggles, but he believes the impending arrival of experienced spine members like Kieran Foran and Sam Verrills will help address that issue.
โWeโve just got to play in a way that allows Dave to get into the game,โ Meninga said.
โThat comes through experienced halves and a spine, thatโs why weโve got Kieran and Sam coming. Theyโre smart players, theyโre experienced players and they come from winning organisations.โ
Meninga called for context when judging Fifitaโs efforts, given his 2022 stats still compare well to the wider competition.
โStatistically heโs up there with any back-rower in the game โ but if David doesnโt break lines or score 60-metre tries every week then heโs had a โpoor gameโ.
โIโll stick up for him for as long as everyone makes that argument. Itโs not (just) Davidโs fault, itโs everyoneโs fault in the footy team.โ
