Wayne Bennett has a repute for restoring the worth of broken items.
The South Sydney coach faces considered one of his hardest reclamation initiatives following the arrival of David Fifita for the 2026 season.
For a participant who set information when he inked a $1.2 million per season cope with the Titans six years in the past, Fifita’s worth is now on the lowest level of his profession.
Gold Coast have been comfortable to see the musclebound again of him following a not so grand whole of eight video games final season as accidents and middling kind left Des Hasler pulling his lengthy locks out.
Availability wasn’t an issue throughout his earlier 4 seasons on the membership the place he performed 82 matches however consistency was the continued problem.
Flashes of brilliance in his first season as a result of occasional glimpses as his time on the Titans wore on.
Justin Holbrook and Hasler tried beginning him on the bench and utilizing him in spurts however the high quality and amount have been each missing.
For a participant who burst onto the scene on the Broncos as an 18-year-old, reaching the uncommon feat of representing the Maroons as an adolescent, the gradual decline from game-breaking celebrity to simply one other ahead has Fifita in peril of turning into one of many NRL’s “what may need been” gamers.
The younger weapons who have been by no means in a position to hold firing for one purpose or one other – Tim Smith after his stellar first season at Parramatta, Ben Barba resulting from his ongoing off-field points or Will Hopoate, who was by no means in a position to recapture the trajectory he was on when he returned to the sport after a two-year spiritual mission.
It’s maybe acceptable that Fifita was the primary participant to line up within the NRL who was born on this century.
Simply when Bennett had conquered Gen Z and found out Millennials, he now has to adapt to Zoomers.
Not straightforward whenever you’ve just lately turned 76.
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David Fifita. (Photograph by Jason McCawley/Getty Pictures)
South Sydney’s gamble on Fifita comes 12 months after Bennett took an opportunity on an identical participant in Josh Schuster.
Sadly for all events concerned, Schuster was unable to get anyplace close to to the extent of efficiency required to crack their NRL crew regardless of a raft of accidents leaving Bennett scrambling for numbers most weeks.
Fifita ought to be getting into the prime of his profession at 26, with 134 video games beneath his belt in addition to 4 Checks for Tonga, eight Origins for Queensland and Dally M Second-Rower of the Yr honours as just lately as 2023.
Souths have signed him for 2 seasons however this one which kicks off in six weeks’ time is the essential one – if Fifita can rediscover the starvation that has been missing and really make an impression, a return to the Origin ranks can’t be dominated out.
But when he seems like he’d fairly be some other place than the sting of the ruck, bulldozing smaller opponents to create havoc, then Bennett additionally has a historical past of tapping gamers on the shoulder to point out them the exit door when they’re doing his crew extra hurt than good.
Fifita can be surrounded by seasoned campaigners who ought to complement his sport completely on the Rabbitohs.
With skipper Cameron Murray again within the No.13 jersey, Bennett has somebody who will do all of the soiled work wanted in defence who also can spark line breaks in assault together with his late footwork on the line.
Keaon Koloamatangi was arguably the shape center ahead within the NRL final 12 months and with a assist solid that features Jai Arrow, Tevita Tatola, Euan Aitken, Brandon Smith, Tallis Duncan and just lately acquired veteran Adam Elliott, the crimson and inexperienced pack is packing loads of chew.
With Koloamatangi switching to St George Illawarra subsequent season, this might probably be Bennett’s greatest and solely likelihood of snaring a premiership on the Bunnies.
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett. (Photograph by Scott Gardiner/Getty Pictures)
Cody Walker may be very a lot within the twilight of his profession at 36 and Latrell Mitchell’s long-term prospects are clouded by the troubles on and off the sphere which have made him an unreliable however costly commodity for the membership.
Mitchell has performed not more than 17 video games in his six seasons at Souths and is more likely to line up within the centres once more this 12 months with Jye Grey at fullback in order that the Indigenous All-Stars ace can probably keep away from the recurring hamstring accidents which have restricted his availability in latest seasons.
Jack Wighton is one other Rabbitoh who has not recaptured his peak kind since becoming a member of from Canberra two years in the past.
Fifita has loads of teammates in an identical place who ought to have a chip on the shoulder, a degree to show, critics to silence or whichever cliche you like.
There are not any extra excuses for him. It’s time to show that he will be an elite ahead within the NRL once more or he can be one other identify on the listing of cautionary tales who hit the heights early of their profession however by no means actually lived as much as their potential.
