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AAP
AAP
Joel Gould

Fermor targets Maroons as Titans' double trouble return

Titans forward Beau Fermor is getting closer to a Queensland debut. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Gold Coast second-rower Beau Former and captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui loom as a one-two punch for the Titans and Queensland in 2025.

Fermor got a full season under his belt in 2024 after missing the previous year with an ACL rupture. Fa'asuamaleaui sustained the same injury two rounds into last season and will be back next year after making a recovery.

Fa'asuamaleaui had played 12 Origin games consecutively for the Maroons and won three series before injury struck and will be back in the Origin team so long as he is fit and healthy.

Fermor, 26, was invited into Maroons pre-season camp in February in a sign that coach Billy Slater has him in his sights for a State of Origin debut.

The Titans back-rower took time to hit his straps and played no part in Queensland's 2-1 series loss, but was in top form by the end of the season to make the Prime Minister's XIII to play Papua New Guinea.

"That's obviously a goal of mine and always will be," Fermor said of his Origin aspirations.

"I've got to do my job here first and make sure I'm putting my best foot forward for the Titans and that'll take care of itself.

"I had a goal to play 20 NRL games last season.  I missed two through a knock that I couldn't have done anything about.

"To play 22 games was something that I was really happy with, just to get through a whole year and have my body in pretty good nick."

Tino
Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui will be back from an ACL tear in 2025. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)

Fa'asuamaleaui is close to being back to full training. Fermor knows what that is like and the pitfalls.

"He's probably at the most frustrating part now where he's feeling pretty good and wants to jump into everything but the physios and the performance staff are telling you to slow down a bit," Fermor said.

"I know he's getting frustrated with not being able to jump in and go all guns blazing, but that'll come.

"I'm looking forward to seeing him get back. I can help him out and take a bit of the weight off his shoulders and not make him feel like he has to do everything so he can just focus on his game and getting himself back to the form that we know he can produce."

Fermor is also determined to take his own game to a new level.

"I'm one of the older players at 26 and trying to build on my leadership,"
he said.

"I've always been someone that probably leads through my actions, but trying to be a bit more vocal around the group as well is something that that I'm trying to work on."

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