Hard work, a leap of faith and the Titans’ Tonga connection have unheralded back Siale Faeamani primed for a Round 1 NRL debut.
The Auckland-born rookie made the move from Penrith to the Gold Coast in the pre-season, signing a development list contract for 2026-2027 and quickly impressed new coach Josh Hannay, starting him in both Witzer Pre-Season Challenge matches.
Scoring a try as the Titans defeated the Storm 42-12 and coming a whisker away from taking out the pre-season title, Faeamani was hoping his next foray onto the field would be to face the Sharks in Round 1.
“Obviously, it's always a goal to make try to make my debut, but God willing I do make it Round 1," Faeamani said.
“I owe it back to the club and just all the boys who have helped me push to get better every day at training.
“I'm just happy that I'm here with the bunch of boys that I'm playing with.
“I feel like the boys are … making me confident not to shy away from my strengths and bring my game and stick to what I know best and that that's running the ball hard and just playing my game.”
Sialetili Faeamani Try
Under Hannay’s new system, the Titans have found a renewed energy going into the 2026 season, with the rookie coach happy to provide opportunities for new faces like rugby union convert Faeamani.
While his first real taste of league came after he finished school at the Warriors, playing SG Ball and Jersey Flegg in New Zealand, Faeamani then added NSW Cup experience to his resume at Penrith last year.
Faeamani said while it was ‘a risk’ to move north, it was one that was paying off.
“Growing up, I was a union boy playing through school, but then I made the switch over after school, just seeing how league is, it suited my game more, just the physicality and the speed of the game," Faeamani said.
“So I made the switch over, played SG Ball and Flegg, played at Warriors, and then I made the move over to Penrith last year played a year of day of Flegg and Cup and then Josh wanted me to come over to the Gold Coast and now I'm here and I don't regret anything.
“I just made the move over (to league) on my own, but heaps of the boys, we were just playing local footy clubs where I was from, so I just wanted to make the move over and try it, give it a go.
“(Coming to the Gold Coast), it was a big risk, but it's been worth it.
“Making that move, I just wanted to come here and just try something new, get out of my comfort zone and just I put my best foot forward and I feel like underneath Josh I've been playing my best footy that I've been playing.”
Playing mostly outside Tongan heritage player Jojo Fifita, Faeamani - who can play both centre and wing - said his influence and that of Tonga representative Moeaki Fotuaika in particular had helped him settle into his new home.
“I'm from Auckland back in New Zealand, as I'm a Kiwi boy, Tongan," Faeamani said.
“There's a few Tongans in this team this year, Jojo, Moe, and all the other boys, so it's a good feeling being around the team.
“The whole pre-season, I’ve been training outside, Jojo, but with our training in pre-season, we've just been mixing in and out, so all the boys just got little combos with each other.
“Whoever's in the wing spot or centre spot, they will need to do the job and put their best foot forward for the team.
“So everyone's sort of been swapping a bit in and out.
“Jojo; you just trust everything he's going to do for the team.
“He's going to carry hard for us, so all I have got to do is back it up, carry hard as well.
“He's just been giving me tips, so I've just been taking it in and just I'm mixing of my own game and putting my best foot forward for the team.
“Moe’s been a big inspiration for me, especially being Tongan.
“He's just getting around us younger boys and backing us with our talents and our ability to not shy away from the game and to go take it with both hands.
“He's a quiet leader, but his actions do a lot of talking, so we just back it up and just give it our all, the boys like me.”
Match: Sharks v Titans
Round 1 -
home Team
Sharks
away Team
Titans
Venue: Ocean Protect Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
