Titans coach John Cartwright has hailed late arrival Sam Tagataese as the club's finals secret weapon after the 22-year-old added a new dimension to their backline against the Wests Tigers.

Cartwright unleashed the 192cm, 100kg former Junior Kiwi squad member on the Tigers at Skilled Park and loved what he saw.

"He's great. He's a weapon," Cartwright said after Saturday night's game.

"He gives us something we haven't had since we entered the comp.

"A big, tall, fast, outside centre or back-rower."

Cartwright has followed a growing trend of coaches to use mobile forwards in damaging attacking roles out wide.

The Bulldogs have Jamal Idris (188cm, 106kg), the Roosters Setaimata Sa (190cm, 101kg), the Dragons boast Beau Scott (184cm, 98kg) and the Broncos have recently switched prop Dave Taylor (185cm, 115kg) into the centres when they attack.

On what Cartwright witnessed from Tagataese in the Titans 34-24 win over the Tigers he could find it hard not to leave him at left centre next weekend against Manly.

It wasn't just Tagataese's size, strength, speed and off-loading that impressed, he also smashed late Tigers inclusion Danny Galea with a massive hit just before half time.

Wellington-born of Samoan heritage, Tagataese admitted he thought time had run out to play for the Titans again this season.

"I was battling injuries at the start of the year and I've had to work hard and keep telling myself the season's not over yet and that I could still get a spot in the side," he said.

"At times there I felt it was slipping away.

"But the support of family and friends kept me hanging in there and pushing myself."

Cartwright said Tagataese's fightback was a good lesson for any young player.

"He got a chance through injury this week and he's making it very hard not to have him out there," Cartwright said.

"We bought him here on potential. He didn't get a lot of game time in Melbourne but when he was fit he always got himself into their 17 which was a huge feat with the quality they have down there."

Tagataese, who played 18 games for the Melbourne Storm in 2007-08 enjoys the freedom of playing out wide.

"I enjoy the one-on-one contests and I like playing on the edge where I can use my size and speed," said Tagataese who despite cramping up at various times scored his first try in his sixth game for the club.

Tagataese, who last played centre for Ipswich in the Queensland Cup before heading to Melbourne, said Cartwright had told him he wanted at the club as a wide-running forward.

"He had faith in me and that he wanted some size in the centres and hopefully I did that," he said.

The Titans win lifted them into a share of the premiership lead on 36 points with the faltering Dragons and Bulldogs.

However the Bulldogs can take outright ownership if they beat the Warriors in New Zealand on Sunday.

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