Titans’ $3.5m gun David Fifita monsters Rabbitohs with first half hat-trick

The Gold Coast Titans’ hunt for David Fifita has come into clearer focus after the hulking star scored his second hat-trick of the season in the first half of the clash with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Remarkably, it wasn’t enough as Benji Marshall inspired a stunning comeback as the Rabbitohs claimed a 40-30 win.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

But Fifita has got tongues wagging as he scored three tries for the Titans to take a 24-10 lead at halftime.

The Titans were monstered to nil by the Sea Eagles last week but in games either side, Fifita has scored hat-tricks.

It’s an incredible strike rate with the forward scoring his ninth try in seven games for the Titans.

It’s the same number of tries the Bulldogs have scored this season.

He sealed the hat-trick with two tries in two minutes, crossing over for his third in the 32nd minute.

Last season, Fifita was targeted by the Titans with a $3.5 million three-year deal despite being just 21 — and he’s proving to be worth ever penny so far.

At halftime, Fifita said “the job’s not done yet”, refusing to go into his personal tally.

Fifita opened the scoring with the Titans needing to send the vision to the Bunker as a captain’s challenge after the referee called it a double movement.

Vision showed that his ball carrying arm didn’t touch the ground and the try was awarded.

While the Rabbitohs hit back with a couple of tries of their own, a drop out that went two metres handed the Titans the ball at close range.

Fifita took full advantage, doing it all himself.

He bumped off Adam Reynolds twice, before bursting through a hole and running straight over. He beat seven Rabbitohs on the play.

“My goodness David Fifita,” Warren Smith said on Fox League. “In a league of his own.”

Steve Roach added: “He could get 30 tries for the season.”

But Fifita wasn’t done for the half, running over untouched after the Titans went wide.

“Fifita, he has a hat-trick, three tries in the first half for the most destructive forward in the NRL,” Smith said.

The Titans opened up a 24-10 lead at the break with a long range beauty finished off by Jamal Fogarty.

While the commentators raved about his performance, NRL Twitter went wild for him.

At halftime, Cooper Cronk said he was “loving everything” Fifita was doing.

“It was man versus boys at some points,” he said.

But it was Corey Parker who said it best.

“We only weeks ago when he scored a hat-trick against the Knights, he made some very good players look like schoolboys,” he said. “He looks like it’s unfair out there.

“We spoke in the pre-game that all David Fifita needs is early ball and he does the rest, that’s all he needs at the moment.”

Despite his heroics in the first half, the second half belonged to Benji Marshall, as he turned back the clock with two tries and a trademark flick as the Rabbitohs came back to win the high-scoring thriller.