Retired NRL star reveals nasty tactics which nearly left him “barely able to walk”

This week saw the twin brother of Wakefield Trinity star David Fifita, Andrew, retire due to the injuries he has picked up throughout his career.

A World Cup winner in 2013 with Australia and a Tonga international but the pinnacle of his career was perhaps scoring the winning try in the 2016 Grand Final and after retirement, he has reflected on that moment in the Daily Telegraph.

He said: “It’s my favourite moment because (former Sharks teammate) Bryce Gibbs would always say to me, ‘how many tries have you scored in a grand final?’,’’ Fifita said.

“It used to do my head in and I would always think, if I can ever score a try in a grand final, I will shut Gibbsy up.

“And his one (in 2005) was just diving on the ball.

“Mine was a bit different.”

He also revealed a nasty tactic from the Storm which made this all the more special but also a hell of a lot more difficult.

“The other thing not many people know is,” Fifita said, “Leading up to that try, I ran to the left towards Cooper Cronk and I made good metres, but I swear they had a game plan to cork my legs.

“I reckon I had about five corks and it just kept happening.

“Someone just kept kneeing me in the legs and I could barely walk for the last 15 minutes.”