EXCLUSIVE: Darren Lockyer's pointed question as axed $1 million Titans star David Fifita's Origin hopes fade
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Queensland icon Darren Lockyer has questioned whether David Fifita "wants it" enough to return to the State of Origin arena after he was dropped by his club this week.
The rampaging back-rower was a shock omission from the Titans team for Magic Round on Tuesday, continuing a disappointing fall from grace for the former Maroons star who once earned $1.25m a year and was the NRL's highest paid player.
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Last year Fifita looked set for a move to the Sydney Roosters, but backflipped on the contract to remain on the Gold Coast until the end of 2026.
Not long after that, Fifita was left out of Billy Slater's squad for all three Origin matches of the 2024 series.
David Fifita has been dropped for Magic Round. Getty
There were hopes that the 25-year-old would return to the representative fold this year, but with the Titans struggling, Fifita has now found himself closer to Queensland Cup than the Queensland Maroons.
Speaking on Wide World of Sports' QLDER, Lockyer, a Maroons selector, was quizzed about Fifita's potential recall for the 2025 Origin series and gave an honest response.
"It doesn't help that the Titans aren't winning," Lockyer said.
"We know the talent that Dave has, but we talk about what an Origin player is and Dave is probably still learning exactly what that's about.
"It's the effort areas in the game that you need. He brings a lot to the game with the footy, but defensively that's his biggest challenge.
"Billy (Slater) knows what's required and Dave is capable - it's just whether he wants it."
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Des Hasler is under growing pressure at the Titans. Getty
The back rowers used by the Maroons last year included Jaydn Su'A, Jeremiah Nanai, Kurt Capewell, Felise Kaufusi and J'maine Hopgood, with Reuben Cotter also starting one game on an edge and Patrick Carrigan mortgaging the No.13 jersey. Those players are likely to be in the mix again, with Dolphins star Tom Gilbert, who has made a strong return from a long-term injury, also back in contention.
Fifita's time out of the first grade squad for the Titans will likely only be temporary, but with Des Hasler's men stranded in the NRL's bottom four, something needed to change.
Things won't get any easier over the next month for Gold Coast, with fixtures against premiership hopefuls Canterbury, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra on the horizon.
Lockyer admitted that if things don't turn around soon that the "pressure" will only rise and Hasler could find himself without a job in 2026.
"Once something goes against them or there's some adversity there, they don't know how to handle it," he said.
"They have periods where they're on top and look like a top-eight team, but when the momentum goes against them and they're searching for answers, they look like a bottom-four team and at the moment, that's where they are sitting on the ladder
"It's a bit of a challenge for Des - unfortunately we're in a results-driven business.
"Des wants to find some consistency, but if he can't, the pressure will only get stronger."
