Fifita a perfect fit: Holbrook sees synergies across the park with star recruit

There will be synergies right across the park when David Fifita joins the Titans for the 2021 season.

Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook has explained why he is so "excited" about signing Fifita to a three-year deal and why he will be the perfect fit for the Titans.

The Titans celebrated what will likely be their greatest signing coup of their 13-year history by announcing the acquisition of the Broncos second-rower on Saturday after winning the battle for his signature with their northern neighbours.

Holbrook said Fifita’s signing was a major boost for the club, the players and the Titans fans and explained why it had synergies with the squad he already has at his disposal.

The 20-year-old back-rower will join a club where he knows and has played with the younger members of the side, including former Keebra Park High School colleagues Moeaki Fotuaika and Tanah Boyd, who was also a former representative teammate at junior level.

"We all know what a great player he is and he is only so young, and that is what I am excited about," Holbrook said after the 22-14 loss to the Panthers.

"I think he is the type of player that other players want to play with and you’d much rather have him in your side than against you, so all those traits.

"The best thing about why I am so excited is that he already has some connections with our club.

"He has played with some players, and new players we have signed [like Tino Fa’asuamaleaui], so he has already got good relationships with them.

"He knows enough about our club and about me. He has ticked all the boxes."

The Titans could do with some experienced premiership winners in the spine.

When the club was formed 13 years ago, Preston Campbell, Mat Rogers and Preston Campbell were the big-name spine members of the side and they attracted forwards to come and play with them.

Fifita’s signing, on the back of the acquisitions of Fa’asuamaleaui and Herman Ese'ese could have the same effect, but this time for halves being attracted by the forwards.

"That is definitely correct," Holbrook said.

"Every half wants to play with strong forwards and that is what we are building."

The Titans were gallant in defeat against the competition leaders and came back from a 10-0 deficit to take the game to the Panthers.

They lost a captain’s challenge when Ash Taylor was ruled to have knocked a Panthers offload forward.

The last try to the Panthers also came after what appeared to be a forward pass from Brent Naden while the Titans had a break by Phil Sami called back for a marginally forward pass.

Holbrook said that "all those things don’t help when you are playing a good side".

"We played with nothing going our way. All of the 50/50s went against us,” Holbrook said.

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"I don’t want to sound like sour grapes. We weren’t good enough to win the game but I would have liked a few more opportunities to come up with stuff.

"We competed hard for the whole game but just our end of sets needed to be better."

Holbrook confirmed forwards Keegan Hipgrave and Sam Lisone were late scratchings with shoulder complaints while young hooker Erin Clark, replaced by Nathan Peats, was given a "freshen up" rest to allow him to recharge his batteries.