Titans co-captain Nate Myles has issued a blunt warning to his teammates that if they think the mistakes of the past are going to be repeated in 2015 then they will have him to answer to.
As Titans players begin to get accustomed to their temporary but by no means makeshift training facilities at The Southport School after leaving the Centre of Excellence behind, Myles made it very clear that they have the resources to become a finals force again next season; whether that happens or not is now down to individual choices.
Broncos recruit David Hala joined his teammates on the training paddock for the first time on Monday as coach Neil Henry continued to oversee more mileage being added to his players' tanks and build a team that is both physically and mentally stronger than they were in finishing 14th in 2014.
Towards the back-end of the season Myles intimated that there were players no longer having to fight for their positions in the Gold Coast team, a situation he is pleased to say has been eradicated in week two of pre-season training.
"There is no beating around the bush, the club's changing and our roster's changing as well," said Myles, who welcomed the additions of both Hala and Josh Hoffman from Brisbane.
"Everyone's been put on notice and informed where they're at and where they stand so it's up to everyone here now at training to be putting in the best they can to try and impress.
"The thing for us as a playing group is to realise that our coaches, our training staff and the club in general have provided everything for us, we just need to make sure we're training hard and together. That's the only way we can go forward and I'll be making sure the playing group does that.
"If anyone thinks that the other side of the fence is going to be greener I think they're in the wrong place.
"It's like Groundhog Day. If you keep saying it, you're going to keep saying it, it's a bit silly. It's more actions now and that's why I think our pre-season is going to determine how we go. If we can get fit and strong and healthy and get everyone on the paddock, that's our focus."
Coach Neil Henry is moving towards the trend of training in hotter conditions as opposed to the in-vogue altitude training employed by many sporting teams, creating a 'hot box' from one of the three demountable rooms the club is utilising that has air conditioners for display purposes only.
The agreement with The Southport School allows the Titans to use the school's gym facilities – of which the Titans have contributed some equipment – and swimming pools for recovery as well as access to the vast sporting fields that lay on the Nerang River just west of Surfers Paradise.
The club is in negotiations with the school to have team meals prepared on Mondays and Fridays while a 300-seat theatrette is available for video review.
Despite undergoing shoulder surgery at the end of the season, Myles returned in such good condition that he was given the majority of last week off, a luxury he was soon regretting.
"We've got a lot of time to knuckle down and get some results out of each other but the bars have been lifted already from last week to this week," he said.
"A lot of the boys struggled last week and said it was a really tough week and our trainers have told us that this week is probably going to be double that.
"We got this morning's two sessions out of the way and I realised that I should have done last week; I feel like it is the first day for me and it hurts a little. I rolled the legs over in the off-season which I think was the main thing coming back in half decent shape; you don't want to be too far behind."
Myles credits part of his good start to the pre-season to his new business venture in Burleigh Heads, F45 Training, which he says not only helped him physically but mentally.
"You know how some people say they look at a burger and put on weight? I think I watched people exercise and got fitter," the 29-year-old joked.
"F45 is going all right down there at Burleigh and it actually helped me in the off-season, gave me a routine where I didn't fall out of anything. I just kept on with the routine and pretty much did everything the same every day which I think helped me out.
"I probably don't look that great at the moment but the shoulder's feeling good, strength-wise it's getting better and hopefully it will be full steam ahead soon."
