NSW Origin coaching legend Phil Gould encourages Blues to target ‘weak link’ David Fifita

NSW Origin coaching legend Phil Gould has no doubt the Blues will zero in on ‘weak link’ David Fifita in the series opener, pointing to the questionable defensive attitude of the Queensland backrower.

Fifita, 23, is a damaging ball-runner, but hasn’t realised his potential in the eyes of many footy fans due to his tendency to avoid tackling when under fatigue.

While acknowledging defence is an area of Fifita’s game that has improved at club level with the Titans this season, Gould – the most successful coach for NSW in Origin history with four series wins – expects the Maroons backrower to have a busy game.

‘He will be asked to do plenty of work, so he’s going to have to do it every play, every minute for the full 80 minutes and maybe beyond,’ he told Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast.

‘There’s nowhere to hide for these players. You take one lazy step, you don’t make up your ground straight away, the ball just comes back to you, it just finds you.

NSW Origin coaching legend Phil Gould has no doubt the Blues will target David Fifita in the series opener due his questionable defensive attitude

Gould declared if Fifita cuts corners at Origin level under fatigue, NSW will expose him

‘You are playing against the best players so if there’s one chink in his [Fifita’s] armour, they will find you out.

‘No player out there will want to be the weak link in their team.’

Gould added that Fifita – who was recalled by coach Billy Slater after he was overlooked in 2022 – ‘might score three tries’, but anticipates NSW will ‘wear him down to take the juice out of his running game.’

Fifita will likely mark Cameron Murray or Hudson Young, who are both renowned for their ironman type performances and effort area plays.

And Gould also had an ominous message for Fifita – it isn’t the stage to be found wanting for your state.

‘If you are coming in to play No.12 for Queensland’s State of Origin team, they are expecting you to go from start to finish and do it on both sides of the ball…. and also do it when the game is in the balance at the back end,’ he said.

‘You just can’t click your fingers and make it happen. ‘There’s a lot of work you’ve got to do and a lot of work you are not going to get credit for.

‘And [in David’s case] you have just got to be there. He certainly does not have that in his game at the moment.’

The Origin series opener is in Adelaide on May 31.