Darren Lockyer, the former Queensland great, has forecasted that David Fifita will face some jests from the Sydney Roosters during their upcoming match on Friday night. Fifita was at the centre of a peculiar contract dispute last year, ultimately choosing to reverse his commitment to a four-year contract with the Roosters and remain with the Gold Coast Titans.
This decision raised uncertainty about fellow player Angus Crichton’s future, yet both athletes ended up staying with their respective teams. Lockyer believes that although the contract issue has been settled, Fifita will still receive a frosty reception when he takes the field.
"There will definitely be some sledging during the game," Lockyer stated on the Wide World of Sports programme, QLDER.
Despite the contract saga fading into the background, Lockyer expects the Roosters to target Fifita in their usual cheeky fashion. Meanwhile, the Roosters’ decision to retain Crichton has paid off, as he has returned to play in exceptional form.
The Roosters have had a tumultuous start to the season, including a heavy loss to the Brisbane Broncos in their opening round. However, they rebounded impressively by defeating the reigning champions, the Penrith Panthers, before narrowly losing to the Warriors in their subsequent match.
Lockyer notes that a team fresh off a loss typically comes out more determined, evidenced by the Roosters’ strong response after their defeat against the Broncos. "After that loss they received plenty of criticism, but they bounced back to beat Penrith," he remarked. He stressed that the Roosters would be a tough opponent for the Titans, particularly with their home advantage, stating, "They will be hard to beat, especially down there. They’ll come ready to play."
As the anticipation builds for this match, all eyes will be on how Fifita handles the expected sledging from the Roosters and whether his performance can help steer the Titans to victory against a motivated opponent.