Titans marquee player David Fifita is again in the firing line for his lack of value at the club with his commitment questioned.
Fifita scored a rousing individual try in the clash with Parramatta last weekend but the Maroons second-rower did not have much of an impact during the rest of the game as the Titans went down by six.
Former Panthers premiership-winning forward Scott Sattler described Fifita on SEN Radio as “one of their worst players at the moment” and that coach Justin Holbrook should look at benching him unless they get more out of him.
Fifita joined the Titans last year from the Broncos on a three-year deal worth more than $1.2 million per season, making him the highest-paid player in the NRL.
Hall of Famer Darren Lockyer told Wide World of Sports that Fifita’s effort areas are in the spotlight.
“I think a lot of people are looking at where’s the effort areas in Dave’s game that requires him to be paid over a million dollars and that’s probably the biggest question mark and it’s up to Dave really if he wants to improve that area of his game,” he said.
“The tries that we know he’s capable of, they’ll just keep coming but it’s the effort areas that maybe in the grandstands that people don’t recognise but coaches and players recognise.”
Immortal five-eighth Wally Lewis added: “I think the most consistent bit of criticism has come when they’ve said you’ll see him come up with the big play and everybody will get excited, they’ll rise to their feet but then you don’t see him come up with another play for about 8-10 minutes after that.
“He’s quite capable of inspiring his team, bringing the crowd to their feet, why not come up with another one? I guess he’s the only one who knows the reasons behind that or whether there was another opportunity available, whether he didn’t get the chance to. If the criticism continues, I think that he will probably feel like he has to do it every game.”
Former premiership-winning playmaker James Maloney may have played his last game of professional rugby league after being stood down by his French club.
The 35-year-old former NSW five-eighth tested positive to cocaine after a late February match for Lezignan in the French domestic competition.
After playing for Catalans Dragons in last season’s Super League, he joined the semi-professional club which plays in France’s Elite One Championship.
A journeyman who played for Melbourne, the Warriors, Roosters, Cronulla and Panthers in the NRL before heading to the Super League, Maloney has been told by Lezignan president Alain Fabre to provide details about the circumstances behind the positive test before they work out whether he will be allowed to return to action.
Tony
Roar Guru
Time will tell, but I suspect Cleary will be an exception to the rule
Kurt S
Roar Pro
Mal Meninga has been very quiet on the subject of David Fifita lately. It would be interesting to get his take on Fifita's performance.
Justin
Guest
So is Nathan Cleary bad value for money now?
Paul
Guest
Maybe his pay should also be tied to his overall performance each week, want the top money in the game. You have to be value for money. Taumalolo Hasn’t been great value for his money in recent years either. Lots of players with lesser ability are far better value than these two players. As they are all effort on effort & cheaper!
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
The seafood diet. See food. Eat it.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
That’s a little harsh.
Tony
Roar Guru
Let's hope Fifita maintains a better diet plan than Taylor :happy:
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
And one Latrell Mitchell . I wonder if he had been fully fit would he have done his hamstring . It's not just the physical effort with some of these guys, it's up top as well . Once they've secured top money they don't seem to put the effort in with a few exceptions .
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
John, Poor old Jimmy he's 10,000 miles away and he's still making headlines here . I'm very surprised the NRL integrity Unit haven't sent a crack team of investigators over to sort this out .
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I’ve always said Fifita reminds me of Dave Taylor. Big, talented and can move like a half and success at a young age. But never matured into a consistent player.
Tony
Roar Guru
The rugby league value equation - the more you pay, the less you get.
Tony
Roar Guru
I played with a guy, a 5/8, who put in a chip and chase kick in our own quarter, but failed to chase! Opposition got the ball and scored soon after. His reason for the kick was that he had a cramp. :happy:
Malo
Guest
I love how the Cowboys treat Taumalolu. They treat him sparingly as he has such a long contract thereby reducing his minutes. No wonder the cowboys won’t make the 8
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
One of the many penalties the Titans got against the Eels, the tap was 10 out 10 in from touch and Fifita had the tap. Now everyone in that moment is prepared for him to run, so there is no surprise element to it. But standing start. If he is 10m out and the defence is standing on the try line you back him to get at least 6m before the defence gets to him (since he controls when to go). Up against a centre and or half, maybe an edge backrower, when initial contact is made you expect him to drive them back a metre or more. So if he is getting him self low, he only needs to get another 2-3 metres and he could be scoring. But instead he passes. Surely him running from that point on the field - as obvious and simple as it may be, is as good as any attacking play the Titans can come up with? But he just passes....
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
In recent years, the media had used the term “lazy” to describe not only David Fifita but Anthony Milford, David Taylor, Darius Boyd & others. I wonder what “the value” of a player is when despite his perceived lack of consistent involvement In games, yet is still capable of turning a game. Artie Beetson at times was accused of being lazy & unfit at times yet will always remain one of the games’ greatest. He had a nickname “half a game Artie” & I recall in a Test v Great Britain, he made a break then on halfway put in a kick for I think Johnny King to score. Post game Artie explained that he kicked as he couldn’t run any further.
Tony
Roar Guru
And putting in less than half the effort
Tony
Roar Guru
Apparently "It's the real thing"
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
He’s getting paid more than double what Haas is getting paid.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Fifita, Haas & Taumololo have similar healthy pay packets, but none of them have really proven to be match winners this season. Haas & Taumololo play 60 minutes in the middle third and provide some go forward, whilst Fifita plays 80 on the edge with the ability to bust tackles and make breaks out wide. But so far this season Fifita has not proved near as effective doing this as last season when he scored 17 tries, 22 line breaks and topped the table with 155 tackle busts. We know what he can do, but we have seen little of it yet this season.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I guess the criticism stems from the fact we know how devastating he can be, and yet this year we see him do one big run only each match ? It is not necessarily just his fault. But his coach & playmakers need to be bring him onto the ball more with opportunities other than boofhead hit ups that fringe players can do ? He should be the target being set up everytime the Titans are inside the opposition red zone !