Map: Leichhardt 2040
Wests Tigers weapon Andrew Fifita has declared he is ready to help the club through its mini injury crisis and lift it deep into the NRL finals.
The 21-year-old powerhouse has emerged as a genuine game-breaker for the Tigers in recent weeks and has scored four tries in his past three matches.
Wests have several injury worries, particularly in the forwards with John Skandalis out with a torn buttock, and fellow front rower Bryce Gibbs still battling a knee injury.
Fifita says he is determined to star in the playoffs and is prepared to put his giant 114kg frame on the line against Gold Coast on Friday in the absence of several regular starters.
"It's especially a big job for me, I'm young coming into one of the biggest positions in the game," he said.
"I'm just going to try and do my best and learn from the best and they're (team-mates) going to teach me what to do.
"It's just more my defence I've got to work on. The coach knows and we all pretty much know I've got the attack, I'm an attacking player … but if I can get my defence up to scratch I can become a really good player and that's all I've been working on the last few weeks."
In addition to Skandalis and Gibbs, Liam Fulton and Gareth Ellis are battling injuries, while centre Chris Lawrence will miss at least four weeks with a broken jaw.
Fifita has been enormous for Sheens in recent weeks and is a real player of the future.
After destroying opponents in the under-20s competition last season, the Griffith junior is hoping to play a key role in Wests premiership tilt.
"One day I might be (a game-breaker), last year I was and maybe this year I hope so," he said.
"Last few weeks the tries have just been coming in, it's a good feeling.
"Myself and Simon Dwyer and Robert Lui are coming into the team at a young age and we have to make a big step up to fill the spots.
"Every game there's a bit of nerves but we'll just have a laugh and shrug it off. I don't know if I'll be nervous in the finals, but we'll see in the first week and see how we go."
Keith Galloway will lead the Tigers front row along with Todd Payten and predicted fringe props Junior Moors and Al Schirnack would do the job against the Titans on Friday if required.
Galloway said there was no doubt Fifita was a secret weapon for them leading into the playoffs.
"He's that hard to bring down, he's that big, he's powerful, he's pretty quick for his size and he's got a good engine," said Galloway.
"If he gets a few one-on-ones or something like that he's very hard to stop.
"He's been unreal, he tore the 20s apart last season and all off-season we had to tackle him at training. I knew he could be anything. He's really showing what he's got and he'll keep going to another level once he's got a bit more experience.
"Skando's been unreal for us coming off the bench, the tonne of experience he gives and obviously everyone knows how much Gibbo means to our team. Hopefully everyone gets back in time for the crucial games."
- AAP
