Four years ago, David Fifita was named in Tonga’s squad for the 2022 World Cup. This week, he has been picked to start for Australia.

Fifita’s rise was fast. A Brisbane kid who captained Keebra Park to the 2017 GIO Schoolboy Cup, he made his NRL debut for the Broncos at 18, in 2018. By 2019, he was in Queensland’s Origin side. At the Gold Coast from 2021, he had his best season, scoring 17 tries and two hat-tricks, and he went on to play Origin through to 2023, including all three games of the Maroons’ series win that year. He also played for Tonga in 2022, reflecting his Tongan heritage on his father’s side.

Then the momentum stalled. The Titans finished 14th in both 2023 and 2024, and Fifita’s output dropped, with four tries in 20 games in 2024. His 2025 ended early with injury after only eight games. For a player who once looked certain to be the cornerstone of an era, it was a flat stretch.

The move to South Sydney changed things. He signed a two-year deal in October 2025, made his club debut in a Round 1 win over the Dolphins, and has had a strong season, scoring six tries and averaging about 139 run metres a game. His form earned a place in the Prime Minister’s XIII against Papua New Guinea, where he ran for 167 metres, made ten tackle breaks and set up a try as well as a linebreak. It wasn’t a comeback built on one big game. It was steady, week-after-week work, and the selectors noticed.

Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters has spoken about giving every squad member a chance to start across the tournament. Fifita’s turn shows that approach in action. He didn’t get on the field in the opener, and now he has a start in the second match.

There’s also something worth noting about what a start means for a player like him. Fifita is 26. He has played on the big stage before, for Queensland and for Tonga, but not for Australia. After a couple of flat years, a place in the starting side at a home World Cup is a reminder that form can return and careers can reset.

Whatever happens in the match, the story is already a good one. Fifita didn’t need a miracle to get here. He needed a fresh start, and a few months of consistent football.