‘It won’t be the end of me’: Fears 18th surgery awaits luckless star

“I think it’s all right. Obviously, it’s a trial match so it was precautionary, and I guess time will tell.”

Gilbert got through 30 minutes of action unscathed, finishing with 24 tackles and 56 running metres from six touches.

It was this time last year that the 24-year-old ruptured his ACL, having only just returned from a dislocated shoulder that prematurely ended his 2023 campaign.

“It was a big achievement to be here, it doesn’t feel real,” Gilbert said.

“I’ve always said football’s a privilege, and I haven’t had that privilege for a while, but coming into this week, I was just lucky to be here again, and I tried to enjoy every moment I could.”

Loading

Gilbert and Fa’ausuamaleaui were seen deep in conversation following the encounter at Kayo Stadium, with the State of Origin teammates reflecting on their respective journeys, intent on making their way back to “play at a high level”.

The Gold Coast enforcer ended the night with 81 running metres and two tackle busts from seven carries, along with 13 tackles, and his influence saw the Titans get on the front foot early.

That momentum enabled the side’s spine of Jayden Campbell, AJ Brimson and Keano Kini to flourish, and Foran believes Fa’ausuamaleaui’s presence will lift them back to finals contention.

“He’s our alpha male, he’s our skipper, he’s our leader. Losing him last year, you can’t replace what he brings, and I think you saw tonight just his presence [was crucial],” Foran said.

“He’s a big man, he’s athletic, he’s able to attack the game in a way not many can, and put the fear into the opposition, and we’ve missed that. He didn’t look like he missed a beat.”

Start the day with a summary of the most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.