League legend Paul Vautin has expressed disappointment at the output of million-dollar Gold Coast recruit David Fifita and speculated that the Titans star could be carrying an injury.
Fifita didn't come on the field until nearly the end of the first half in the Titans' Thursday night 15-14 loss to Newcastle. He had an immediate impact for the team, scoring a try against some soft Knights defence, but Vautin believed he still didn't deliver enough.
"He made an initial impact, no doubt about that. When he's close to the line David Fifita is almost unstoppable," Vautin said on Nine's post-game coverage.
"Earlier this year in a game against Souths he scored four tries in about eight minutes throwing people into the grandstand, but to me his work rate is probably not what it should be."
Vautin said Fifita's performance could be limited due to an injury, however he wasn't willing to excuse the 21-year-old due to perceived pressure over his lucrative contract with the Titans.
"It looks like he's carrying a bit of an injury. It looks like a goitre hanging out – it's a chest pad or something – but he's obviously carrying an injury," he said.
"He could be honestly the best player, the best forward in the game, but at the moment, just to me, his work rate is not there so he's struggling a little bit.
"That shouldn't even matter what he gets paid. If you're playing NRL and you're in first grade as a second rower, you're basically a worker and to me, as dynamic as he can be, his work rate is not what it should be."
The Titans' loss means they are now facing a much harder route to scrape into the finals, in a three-way battle with the Canberra Raiders and Cronulla Sharks.
Vautin struggled to confidently tip Gold Coast to get a much-needed win over New Zealand next week to help keep their slim chances alive, but he confirmed there was still glimmer of hope they can make the top eight.
"I thought they played better for 60 minutes of the match and when it mattered they just weren't up to it," Vautin said of their one-point defeat to the Knights.
"They've got the Warriors next week, it's a game they can win, but will they? They're still an outside chance. Surely they beat the Warriors."
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