NSW Origin coaching legend Phil Gould encourages Blues to target ‘weak link’ David Fifita ahead of series opener against Maroons
- Phil Gould predicts NSW will target ‘weak link’ David Fifita
- The Queensland backrower is not renowned for his defense
- The series opens in Adelaide on Wednesday May 31
NSW Origin coaching legend Phil Gould has no doubt the Blues will focus on ‘weak link’ David Fifita in the series opener, pointing to the Queensland backrower’s questionable defensive attitude.
Fifita, 23, is a damaging ball runner but hasn’t lived up to his potential in the eyes of many footy fans due to his tendency to avoid tackling when tired.
While acknowledging that defense is an area of Fifita’s game that has improved at club level with the Titans this season, Gould – NSW’s most successful manager in Origin history with four series wins – expects the Maroons backrower to have a busy game.
“He’ll be asked to do a lot of work, so he’ll have to do it every game, every minute for the full 80 minutes and maybe beyond,” he told Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
“There’s nowhere for these players to hide. You take a lazy step, you don’t catch up right away, the ball comes back to you, it finds you.
NSW Origin coaching legend Phil Gould has no doubt the Blues will target David Fifita in the series opener due to his questionable defensiveness.
Gould said if Fifita takes any shortcuts at home level under fatigue, NSW will expose her
“You play against the best players, so if there is a flaw in his [Fifita’s] armor, they will discover you.
“No player wants to be the weak link in his team.”
Gould added that Fifita – who was recalled by coach Billy Slater after being left out in 2022 – “could score three tries”, but anticipates NSW will “wear him down to get the juice out of his running game”.
Fifita will likely score Cameron Murray or Hudson Young, both of whom are renowned for their ironman-like performances and zone-of-effort plays.
And Gould also had an ominous message for Fifita – now is not the time to miss your condition.
“If you come to play No. 12 for the State of Origin team in Queensland, they expect you to go from start to finish and do it on both sides of the ball … and do it as well when the match is in progress the balance at the back,” he said.
“You just can’t click your fingers and get there. “There’s a lot of work you have to do and a lot of work you won’t get credit for.
‘And [in David’s case] you just have to be there. He certainly doesn’t have that in his game right now.
The Origin Series opens in Adelaide on May 31.
