Former rugby league player and coach Paul Vautin has predicted that the success of the Gold Coast Titans lies entirely with boom second-rower David Fifita.
Likely to be unavailable for the first few games of the season, Fifita is one of the best players in the NRL when he is at his best but has struggled with a lack of consistency in recent times.
However, he is coming off his best season with the club after joining them from the Brisbane Broncos in 2021 after appearing in all three State of Origin matches for Queensland.
Vautin, who represented Australia and Queensland in his playing days, believes that if Fifita can reach his full potential this season, there is no telling how far the Titans will go with a long finals run expected.
"Their forwards are good, they're tough," Vautin told Wide World of Sports.
"David Fifita doesn't know how good he can be, hopefully this year with Des getting stuck into him he can have a fantastic year.
"I played at five foot nine and a half, I was 90 kilos, I would've love to be six foot three and 115 kilos.
"He's only 23 so he's still learning about himself but if he has a big year he can take them a long way into the top eight."
The Titans will also have a new head coach this season, with Des Hasler arriving at the club.
A premiership-winning coach with the Manly Sea Eagles and reaching the Grand Final with the Canterbury Bulldogs, Vautin believes Hasler may be the missing link that the Gold Coast have needed.
"They love him up there already, I haven't spoken to Des but all reports coming back to me on the Gold Coast is that they're really enjoying what he's doing," he said.
"He's different, he's a bit harder than previous people who have been there and they're actually listening to him. He's won two competitions, got a wealth of knowledge, he'll do well with them.
"I always knew once he got (sacked) from Manly it wouldn't be long before he had another job, not only did he win two competitions at Manly, he got Canterbury to the grand final twice. He's done well."
