Titans captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is bound for the USA to undergo further rehab on his injured knee.
The superstar forward will spend two weeks in Philadelphia, working under the guidance of world-renowned sports reconditioning coach and trainer Bill Knowles.
Knowles is no stranger to Australian athletes, having successfully worked with fellow NRL stars Ryan Papenhuyzen, Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic on their post-injury recovery.
Fa’asuamaleaui revealed it was Knowles’ successful track record with the trio that sparked his interest in heading overseas.
“Just watching players like Papenhuyzen, Turbo and Latrell go over there and get expert advice and a new set of eyes on their injury… as soon as I found out that I did my ACL, one of my first thoughts was for us to organise America,” he told Titans.com.au.
“The club have been very good in sorting that out and making sure I get over there and learn from some of the best physios and trainers in the world.
“I am really keen for that new set of eyes to push me to my limits… I can’t wait to experience it.”
The overseas mission comes almost seven months after Tino underwent surgery for the cruciate ligament injury that ended his season in devastating fashion back in Round 3.
He admitted it’s been a tough six months not being on the field during what was a rollercoaster season for the club.
“It’s been very hard. I think I was more angry at the fact I couldn’t lead or help the boys anymore [than actually being injured],” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“There have been a lot of highs and lows and during them all, I was wanting to be out there and helping the team, but it’s also been a massive learning curve.
“Being able to watch football for a year and watch the boys play allowed me to pick up on things we can improve on and also identify the things that we’re good at.
“It’ll help us move forward for when we’re back and allow me to push those areas to keep building and get better next year.”
In more positive news, Tino is expected to return to the training paddock once he returns home from the US, as he aims to be back to full fitness for the 2025 season.
“I’m very keen. I can’t wait to get back,” he said.
“It’s been a whirlwind year and there’s a lot of blessings, but football is a big one that I’ve missed.
“I can’t wait to get out there and be back playing footy with my mates, as well as working hard to win and continue the drive to bring success here to the Gold Coast.”
