4. Talking Points
Don't over rely on Fifita/Tino: We've seen it in the past where a side has landed a marquee recruit yet has faltered the season after. There's no guarantee that either of the Queensland Origin representative signings will set the world alight on the Gold Coast. They can't rely on their back row duo for everything.
They will play their part but the rest of the squad need to do theirs too. Sounds painfully obvious but the Titans signed Jarryd Hayne and the gameplan shifted to become all about the incoming star. Surely they learned from that.
Can Brimson go again?: Aj Brimson returned in Dally M form at the back end of 2020. Only a late Toby Rudolf try for the Sharks against the Warriors ended the hopes that Brimson brought to the Titans.
He earned an Origin jersey on the back of his red hot form and was fantastic on debut. Will injury and the off-season bring a halt to his incredible momentum and form? I hope not. For the sake of the Titans anyways. If he returns the player he was in the final rounds last year, watch out!
Expectation: For the first time, in honestly as long as I can remember, the Titans are playing under the weight of expectation.
They're expected to make the finals this year. That brings with it a pressure they haven't had in many seasons. This is a young side with a relative rookie coach. Pressure and expectation can do weird things to teams.
It's easy enough to go out and spring an upset every now and then but now they're expected to win more games, how will they cope?
