Use your noodle: Defence in focus as Fifita finds his mojo

Titans winger Jojo Fifita has credited Des Hasler's unusual training techniques for improving his defence and aerial capabilities after helping his side to the second win of the season.

After being overlooked for the opening rounds of the year, Fifita's return to the team came at a pivotal time for the Gold Coast club with his sensational over-the-line try-saver on Valentine Holmes proving the difference in a 20-18 win.

Hasler has also employed some interesting tactics to assist his backs with contesting high balls at training, with Fifita supporting his coach’s unusual methods to try and bring about a positive result.

“He’s been bringing out the pool noodles and hitting us when we're jumping up for the high balls at training,” Fifita laughed.

“So training is a bit different but, it's good for a different change.

“He’ll give you a whack, go for your head, go for your body … he is pretty much swinging a baseball bat when he's trying to hit us.

What a save from Jojo Fifita

“He's definitely an interesting character; he can be pretty specific or pretty broad on how he wants you to fix your game. You have sort of just got to play around with it at training and then if you do something right and then he likes it, then you know you're on the right track.”

Returning to the team in Round 5 after being dropped back to Queensland Cup, Fifita had arguably his best performance of the season against the Cowboys – scoring his side's opening try and finished with 156 run metres, two linebreaks and five tackle breaks in the thrilling two-point win.

“It was a bit hard at the start the first couple of weeks (to miss selection), but Des told me I was on the edge there, so I knew if I just kept on working on whatever I could and whatever I needed to, my time would come,” Fifita said.

Jojo Fifita Try

“He's done really well and helped me, especially my defence, which was probably the main target that I needed to fix.

“He said my carries were good, so I just needed to start reading the plays a little bit better and try to get a feel for the game. That just comes with experience and time.

“(And) I got my first try of the year, so hopefully many more to come.”

Having now played five games in a row where the result has decided by a margin of four points or less, the Titans showed a grit that had been missing in many of their past performances in their 20-18 win against the Cowboys – especially after being left with no players on the bench.

Fifita was hoping the win would be a turning point in their season, despite the renewed injury blows to AJ Brimson (groin), Kieran Foran (hamstring), Phil Sami (hamstring) and Harley Smith-Shields (pectoral).

With halves options Foran, Brimson, Tanah Boyd, Jayden Campbell and Tom Weaver all sidelined, Chris Randall and Sam Verrills have named as six and seven this week, but Fifita was confident his side would overcome their injury toll, and would follow the same game plan in their Magic Round match against the Knights.

“For the last month, all our games have been pretty much decided by two points, so we knew we had it in us (against the Cowboys) and we just needed to get the icing on the cake at the end of the games," Fifita said.

“Starting strong definitely helps. We really focused on our first half, we started really well and that was the game plan to start strong and that's what we did.”