Arrow: Titans players must drive standards for success

Titans forward Jai Arrow is adamant that the club's future success must be player-driven and he has put his hand up to lead it as he targets returning to action in the round 20 clash with the Roosters.

The Maroons powerhouse had a setback in his rehab from ankle surgery last week and will miss the home clash with the Broncos on Saturday night.

Interim coach Craig Hodges said after Sunday's loss to the Storm that "all positions are vacant" as the Titans prepare to pick players who will drive standards of excellence into the future under whoever is chosen to succeed Garth Brennan. It is an ethos that warms the heart of Arrow who wants to drive that success when he returns to the playing arena with his own actions.

"I am a big believer that us players have to drive the standards and we have to come up with standards that we think are going to make us be successful," Arrow said at Ashgrove State School in Brisbane after taking part in the NRL's new introductory participation program, League Stars.

"It just hasn't been good enough this year to be brutally honest. We haven't been at our best and with the squad that we have we have under-performed. It is disappointing. The Gold Coast has been like that the last couple of years but it is time for us to take a stand and time for the players to lead the club and make it successful, because it has been a long time.

"Hodgo is right with what he said. Us players have to drive the standards and I am here to do that."

Arrow will get his chance to do exactly that for the last-placed Titans against the Roosters in next week's round 20 clash.

"I'd like to be out there this week but unfortunately my ankle set me back," he said.

"The plan is to do rehab running throughout the week and then have a full week of training  and get used to the intensity. Unfortunately last Monday I was a bit flat-footed and my tendon was a bit tight. It didn't let me come up onto my toe the other day but I ran really well yesterday.

"My legs are starting to feel like jelly but I will have a few more runs this week and hopefully next week I will be in full training and ready for the Roosters game. I am sure an extra week won't hurt. I definitely want to make sure it is 100 per cent and ready to go for the rest of the year."

Arrow is off contract at the end of next year and is set to be one of the most sought-after forwards in the competition on November 1, but he wants to be around for the long haul with the Titans and intends to sign a contract extension with the club.

"I have come out openly and said I would love to stay. I have only spoken to my manager once and he was renegotiating contracts with them which I am pretty excited about," he said.

"There is a lot of speculation going on with all the contract talk which is pretty bizarre. It is better that clubs want me rather than they don't and I am pretty happy about that but… I am pretty proud of playing for my home town and would love to lead this club to success.

"It is somewhere where my family is and my partner is from. What better place to live at then the Gold Coast is what I say."

Arrow has been tagged as a future captain of the club and said it was a role he would embrace if ever given the honour.

"If I was to get given the job I would take it with both hands and do the job to the best of my ability. Dark [Ryan James] is the captain at the moment and I think he is doing a great job. He has been there for nearly a decade and is a great ambassador fir the club."

Arrow is aware that his Maroons coach Kevin Walters' name has been "tossed up" as a prospective Titans head coach.

"I think Kevvie would do a great job," he said.

"He has been in and around the game for many years, has won six premierships and has done it all. I think he gets the best out of people… but the hierarchy at the Titans are the ones to make the decision and I am sure that whoever they pick will do a great job and lead the Gold Coast to success."