Triple treat: Titan ‘Lofi’ has new goal after Eel blitz

Joel Gould | May 8, 2023

Gold Coast speed demon Alofiana Khan-Pereira has scored five try doubles this season but he’s not satisfied with that.

“I haven’t had a triple yet this year in the NRL. That’s what I want,” he told AAP.

The 21-year-old rookie winger was speaking after scoring two tries in the 26-24 win over Parramatta in the final game of Magic Round to lift the Titans to seventh position on the NRL ladder.

In nine games the Lismore-born flyer has scored 11 tries but he has one gripe.

“I am sick of hearing everyone telling me that I am a doubles-only winger,” he said.

“I am definitely itching for that triple. It will come.”

At Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup last year Khan-Pereira – known as ‘Lofi’ – scored 25 tries in 19 games under the coaching of Rick Stone. 

That tally included three hat-tricks and a four-try display against the Mackay Cutters.

The flyer credits former Newcastle Knights coach Stone for his try-scoring ways.

“Rick Stone was the guy who did everything for my development. He was awesome for me,” he said.

“He trusted me as a player and he trusted my speed. He would always tell me to stay right out wide and let the ball come to me.

“There were games where I was getting 300m. I had a good combination with all of the Burleigh players.”

Veteran five-eighth Kieran Foran scored a double himself against the Eels on Sunday, and could have had a triple if Khan-Pereira had passed him the ball.

Instead the confident speedster chipped ahead and scored himself.

“Looking back … I should have passed it to Foz (Foran),” he grinned.

“He backed me, so it was good.”

Khan-Pereira said he had been clocked at 37 km/h, which, while not up with Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr’s 38.7km/h recorded last year against the Titans,  is still seriously quick. 

It is one of the reasons the left edge attack of the Titans is so lethal, with No.6 Foran and second-rower David Fifita promoting Khan-Pereira

The rookie said there was a lot of improvement still left in him.

“It is only my (ninth) game and I still want to try and improve myself every week and not get too comfortable,” he said.

“I had a good year last year and that really set my platform. More doors opened up after that and I got closer to the NRL dream. 

I pushed it more … and happy days now.”