School reunion: Fifita's class gets full marks from Fotuaika

School reunions don't get better than when Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika runs out alongside his former Keebra Park High teammate David Fifita next year.

The close mates played together in 2016 for Keebra Park in their run to the national schoolboys final against Westfield Sports High.

So when news broke that Fifita had signed a three-year with the Titans, his good buddy was quick to get on the phone to the Brisbane forward.

"I was stoked. I was happy. As soon as a I saw it I texted him straight away congratulating him, and he was happy too. It is good to play alongside him again," Fotuaika said.

"I didn’t really want to get involved [in Fifita's decision making] because he has got his family too, so I let his family and his management take care of that … but I am definitely stoked that he is coming down.

"We played together in the opens team for Keebra Park and went all the way to the grand final but lost it in the last 25 seconds.

"That is something I don’t want to remember, but the journey that we had to make it all the way to the final is something I will remember forever.

"David is a class player and he brings that X-factor too so he will definitely lead us in the right direction, and with Tino [Fa’asuamaleaui] and Herman [Ese'ese] coming too I can see us as a forward pack going somewhere."

Fifita is also close to Broncos prop Payne Haas, yet another former Keebra Park High teammate, so leaving Brisbane was no easy decision for him.

Titans coach Justin Holbrook spoke on Sunday about all the synergies Fifita has with his future Titans teammates.

No one understands that better then Keebra Park coach Glen Campbell who watched Fifita, Fotuaika and other Titans forge a close bond on and off the field.

"The boys become so tight at school and Mo and Dave were shoulder to shoulder as real brothers in arms," Campbell told pan66.com

"It is just the Keebra connection that our boys have. In 2016 Mo was 16 and David was 17 and they trained together, played together and did everything together.

"Mo and Dave were always side-by-side in the defensive line and very sound together.

"Both of them are big on family and big on loyalty and I know Dave is looking forward to getting back with Mo and Tanah Boyd, who was his halfback in the 2016 and 2017 Keebra sides.

Mo and Dave were shoulder to shoulder as real brothers in arms.

Keebra Park High School coach Glen Campbell

"AJ Brimson is another Titan he looked up to because he was there at Keebra in 2015 when Dave was coming through. It is that link right across."

Boyd and Fifita played Australian Schoolboys together while Fifita also played representative rugby league with Fa’asuamaleaui who will join the club from Melbourne next year.

Fifita is also keen to put back in the community when he arrives on the Gold Coast, with his former school a priority.

"David has shown an indication about how he wants to come back and help out at school and that is always great," Campbell said.

"My job is prepare them for the next level and we are getting great success at doing that with 18 former Keebra players in last week’s NRL teams, but it is always good if they can come back from [their NRL systems] to talk to our kids. 

"I am pleased for Dave. Now he has set his family up for a long time."

Titans half Jamal Fogarty said he was "lucky enough to be here next year" when Fifita is expected to help the Titans surge up the ladder.

"I think it is just [Fifita's] unpredictability. You see teams try and tackle him one-one-one and three-on-one and he comes out the other end and scoring 40 metre tries," Fogarty said.

"That X-factor you can’t really coach. It is just instinct so for us to have that next year will be a welcome addition. In saying that we have got great players within our walls at the moment so hopefully the future is good for us."