The Gold Coast Titans yesterday announced Jojo Fifita had been handed a three-year deal by the NRL club after impressing in his rookie season.
Fifita (19) appeared at both centre and wing for the Titans this year, scoring three tries in eight games.
He is the son of Pila Fifita, the blockbusting winger who scored a record 39 tries for the Old Golds from 2000 to 2004 and also represented Tonga before playing in England and Japan.
Both Pila and Jojo’s mother, Amy, spoke movingly on a video distributed by the Titans when they presented their son with his first NRL jersey earlier this year.
Jojo was born in New Zealand but spent a large part of his childhood in Japan before the family settled on the Gold Coast.
He attended rugby powerhouse The Southport School, former home of Kangaroos-Wallabies dual international Mat Rogers, but chose to concentrate on a league career.
It seems unlikely Jojo will ever play rugby for North Otago like his dad, but he credited Pila with helping his development.
"Dad has been a huge inspiration," Fifita junior told local media earlier this year.
"His best advice has been to keep doing all the little one-percenters that other people don’t know about. Even when they don’t know you are doing it, the key is to keep doing it yourself."
As well as taking his first steps in the NRL, Jojo was selected for the Prime Minister’s XIII to play against Papua New Guinea.
Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook had high expectations for the youngster, AAP reported yesterday.
"Jojo is a real talent and a player that we’re excited to have here at the Titans long-term," Holbrook said.
"After growing up predominantly playing union, 2022 was just his second year of full-time rugby league and you can see how quickly he has adapted to our game.
"He’s a strike outside back but he is also a great defender and as he continues to develop, we’re confident that you’ll see his game improve even further."
Jojo Fifita is the second-cousin of Titans back-rower David Fifita, who is in the Tongan squad at the Rugby League World Cup.
