It has been three years since David Fifita created on-field havoc alongside his good mate Payne Haas which is why he can’t wait to rumble alongside the behemoth for Brisbane.
Once he’s done that, the 18-year-old forward has his sights on grappling with Haas in the Holden State of Origin arena.
Fifita told NRL.com recently of his goal to play State of Origin this year for the Queensland Maroons. Haas is a New South Welshman with the same aspirations. Both are in their respective state’s Emerging Origin programs.
First up on Fifita's agenda is running out for the Broncos in the NRL with his 19-year-old pal.
"Last year I was watching Payne make his NRL debut against South Sydney at home on the TV and he killed it. I thought ‘man, I want to be that person one day’," Fifita told NRL.com.
"Then Payne got injured and things went my way. A couple of rounds down the track I made my debut and grabbed it with both hands.
"We haven’t played regularly together since the 2016 schoolboys team for Keebra Park in the GIO Cup so hopefully we can play with each other this year for the Broncos. That is our goal.
“Payne has a big motor. He is inspiring to play with, just with his presence. He is one of those boys who you know won’t let you down."
Haas and Fifita played together for the Broncos in a trial against the CQ Capras last year, but before that it was as schoolboy wrecking balls in 2016 that they last rumbled.
Keebra Park High School’s Open A’s assistant coach Peter Norman told NRL.com that as a duo they "feed off each other".
"Payne plays in the middle and Dave on an edge and if Payne wasn’t making a line break 90% of the time he was getting you a quick play-the-ball. Off the back of that we’d pass it out to Dave and as a one-two punch it was pretty unstoppable," Norman said.
"When they are on the field together the defence doesn’t get a rest. They think 'you beauty, we just tackled Payne' and then look up and see Dave running at them."
While the challenges of the NRL will be greater, Norman said he expected both to continue to develop and make an impact.
"With those two I think the best thing about them, besides how naturally gifted they are, is that of all the boys we’ve coached they have the best attitudes I have seen as well," he said.
"They are both really coachable, always trying to improve and never missed a training session. I remember once, either the car broke down or he couldn’t get a ride, Payne got up at 5am and walked 12 to 15 kilometres from Nerang to our school at Southport to get to training on time."
Fifita also has his sights on ripping into Haas in the Origin arena, a challenge he admits will test him to the limit.
"He is a Blue and I’d love to play against him in Origin. It would be hard, because he’s a big unit," Fifita grinned.
"I have played with him for our school team, but never against."
Norman predicted there would be no quarter given because of the competitive natures of both.
"When you have two young kids that are renowned for being the best they do have that healthy competition and want to be better than each other," he said.
"The Broncos are in a good spot, and if they ever do get to play against each other in Orgin I’d love to see it. They won’t hold back on each other."
In 2016 the Keebra Park schoolboy side made the GIO Cup final. Haas won the Peter Sterling Medal that year and the following season Fifita won the prestigious award for best schoolboy of the competition after co-captaining the Keebra to the title.
That award is presented to the best of the best and now Broncos coach Anthony Seibold said he was preparing the duo to reach those heights in the NRL.
"They are young guys and they need experience at NRL level," Seibold told NRL.com.
"Payne has only played three NRL games and David has played 11. They are at the start of their journey but their potential as footy players is something I am trying to provide a framework for them to thrive in."