New role: Isa'ako embracing change as comeback gathers steam

The 2026 season has been a new experience for Evania Isa’ako but the Gold Coast star is relishing every minute of her return to the park and watching her teammates battle for best auntie honours.

The 31-year-old has found a surprise home in the second row this year, already notching two tries in two games, with a try assist to boot in the Titans' monumental 50-12 win over the Eels on Sunday.

It's a big change from having last played in the No.1 jersey in 2024, in the meantime welcoming daughter Letti into the world and preparing mentally and physically to make an impact on the field.

Isa’ako said it was a difficult journey postpartum, always having the goal of taking the field again and performing at a high level, and she praised the Titans for giving her the right balance between space and opportunities to welcome Letti to the group to help her on her path.

“Postpartum was really tough for me and I think I was more focused on my mental state rather than my physical state, so it took me a lot to even get back into the footy arena," Isa’ako said. "Once I was mentally okay to do that and step back in, it was then focusing on the physical side.

“I'm so lucky I had the high-performance staff in Bucko (Simon Buxton, head of performance) and CJ (Carly Jenner, physiotherapist) that I worked really close with and they still help me to this day to make sure that my body and everything I do every week is in order to be able to perform every week.

“They were also very cautious of being able to give me that space to mentally prepare myself to come back. It probably didn't help that I took a little bit longer to come back into the arena, I obviously missed the Origin campaign, but just coming back and being able to bring Letti around the group as well, that helped a lot mentally.

“As a mother to be able to bring your daughter into this environment and know that she's cared for and she's loved for and Murph and all the staff love on her as well, it's just really nice to know that they support me and my journey but also support my little family too.

“It's really nice you know, she's got so many aunties and uncles. She loves it, she has all the girls fighting over who wants to win the top auntie award, so there is a competition going at the moment.

“Obviously, Letti worked out really well that I was able to have her and then be able to do a full pre-season coming back.

“The goal was to get back into the Titans for this season and the ultimate goal was to be able to play the World Cup at the end of the year as well.”

The Titans are chasing a third-straight win when they travel to north to face the Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday night. 

Isa’ako hadn't planned on spending the year in the back row before a late switch prior to the Round 2 victory over the Bulldogs. 

The 31-year-old thrived in her new role and she's eager the make the No.12 jersey her own this season. 

“It's just nice to get closer to the ball, closer to the action, and you've obviously got a threat inside you with Loz and then to have a threat with Chapo outside you, so it makes your job really easy," Isa’ako said. 

“I love the physicality. I actually asked Murph (coach Karyn Murphy) a few seasons ago if I could play in the front line, but yeah, I’ve just got the mentality of I'll play where the team needs me to play.

“I'm obviously nowhere near as fit as what I was pre-baby, but you know, you've got to have that footy IQ and I think having that as well helps you to be able to put your body into positions to make that a little bit easier.”