'In the back of my mind': Rugby move not off the cards for Maroons debutant Jojo Fifita

Jojo Fifita has not ruled out a potential move to rugby in his future, despite only just earning his first call-up to represent the Queensland Maroons in rugby league.

The 23-year-old has been making the most of his time on the footy field with the Titans this season, and is currently the team's top try scorer.

But Fifita has revealed that his dream was not always to be an NRL star, rather it was to follow the same career path as his father Pila, who was a rugby union player.

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Pila represented Tonga at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and helped his son find his feet in the footy world, coming through the junior pathways with the Queensland Reds.

When it came time to ink a professional contract, Pila persuaded his son to look in a different direction and take on the challenge of joining a rival code.

Fifita did have experience playing rugby league during his junior years, facing fellow Maroons debutant Sam Walker in the GPS Championships in 2019. Walker was representing Ipswich Grammar School at the time while Fifita donned The Southport School colours. The match ended in a 29-all draw.

Now the pair will debut together in the State of Origin arena.

"Sammy was the one running amok, it's crazy to see him here too debuting at the same time," Fifita said, per The Sydney Morning Herald.

"I didn't really have any idea I was going to go into league at that moment, and I probably wouldn't have dreamed of this moment 10 years ago."

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But even just days out from his biggest rugby league achievement, the dream of wearing a Wallabies jersey one day has not left the back of Fifita's mind.

Fifita has previously admitted that he has his father Pila to thank for helping him pursue a career in rugby league, even though his father was a rugby union player himself.

"[Going back to union] is definitely there in the back of my mind – probably not right now, but maybe in the near future," he said.

Fifita would not be the first NRL player to defect to rugby union in coming years, with Angus Crichton and Mark Nawaqanitawase set to make the switch at the season's end.

Others like Joseph Suaalii and Zac Lomax are already competing in Super Rugby.

The words may catch the attention of incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss, who also had a career in rugby league before joining rugby union in a coaching capacity.

But for now, Fifita's sole focus is on the Queensland Maroons and the Titans.