Gold Coast's 2021 NRL season hasn't been the smoothest journey but for David Fifita it's the destination that counts.
The Titans ended a five-year finals drought by snatching eighth spot with a 44-0 thumping of the Warriors last Sunday, reaching the playoffs despite an underwhelming 10-14 record.
While they may have just snuck in before the finals door swung shut, now they're in the room Fifita says the aim is to make their presence felt starting with Saturday's elimination final against the Sydney Roosters.
"Everyone's all smiles. It's been a while since the Titans played finals and for myself, my first year down here, to be a part of it, I'm looking forward to it," the star forward said.
"This is where we wanted to be and we're here.
"Being in the top eight, playing finals footy, it's good for our fans and the community.
"Hopefully we can just keep doing the job now moving forward ... get everyone behind us."
Fifita, who has taken on a wrecking ball role off the bench in the last few weeks of the regular season, is battling a rib cartilage issue.
He isn't concerned however that he'll be a target of the Roosters' forward pack - particularly returning pair Jared Warea-Hargreaves and Victor Radley.
"It's all good, I don't mind, they can do whatever," the Queensland State of Origin representative said.
"If you watch that game last time we played them we just lost by a point and our forwards gave them a good job."
As to his own role, Fifita admits he'd prefer to be starting but can't argue with the results since he was shifted to the interchange bench both on a personal and team level.
His try-scoring double against the Warriors means the 21-year-old has scored 17 four-pointers this year to lead the way in that column for forwards in the entire NRL.
"I want to start but it's what's best for the team, we're getting the wins you know?," Fifita said.
"Beauie Fermor and Kevvie (Proctor) and the edges there are doing a good job and it is what it is."
