Under-fire Gold Coast Titans coach Justin Holbrook believes he now has the best-balanced spine combination since his time at Robina began and has set his sights on a finals return as a result.
Thanks to some astute recruitment, this year's team has some new similarities to the most successful Titans team ever – the 2010 ensemble who reached the preliminary final.
That side contained two premiership winners in Scott Prince and Preston Campbell, and Holbrook is anticipating that Sam Verrills and Kieran Foran – both premiership winners in their own right – can help make a similar impact at the club.
Though the pair are at different stages of their careers, both have experienced premiership-winning culture and know how to perform at the highest level at the right time of the year.
“When you have got the key guys in the spine it makes everybody play better. That's their job," Holbrook told AAP.
"They touch the football the most. They decide what we do with the football, everyone will benefit.
“Sam Verrills won a comp with the Roosters as a 20-year-old. We needed experience in that area (dummy-half). We juggled Erin Clark and Tanah Boyd there last year, and both aren't natural nines.
“Kieran Foran is exactly what we need as an experienced half after we looked a bit lost last year.”
With Holbrook likely to go with AJ Brimson in the halves next to Foran, there are still questions over the club's bench utility spot, with Tanah Boyd, Toby Sexton and another new recruit in former Knights hooker Chris Randall to battle for the highly-valued bench utility role.
“Whichever way we go we'll still have great back-up options, and we need them. Last year we didn't have the options,” Holbrook continued.
“While it's great to have options, when you look at the top sides they aren't questioning who's going to be one, six, seven or nine. They know.
“The quicker we get settled on the best combinations, the better for our team.”
The Titans will kick-off their 2023 campaign against Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, March 5.
