Emma Greenwood | 12:01am January 3, 2013
MARK O'Dare is not in the Titans' top 17 players but if his pre-season is anything to go by, the rugby convert will race up that list at an almighty pace.
With a sub-11sec 100m to his name and a work ethic that would put most professional athletes to shame, O'Dare is a good bet to win an NRL start at some stage this season.
While most of his teammates were relaxing over the Christmas-New Year period, recovering from what many rate as the most brutal pre-season campaign of their careers, O'Dare headed to Sydney to link with sprint guru Roger Fabri.
The 21-year-old's Youtube highlights reel showcasing blistering pace, stepping ability and safety under the high ball, caught the attention of the Titans in the off-season, with the former Sydney University and Gordon Rugby Club player offered a train and trial contract.
And he is determined to leave no stone unturned in his bid to return to the code he played as a junior.
So as his teammates grabbed the chance for a few days' break over Christmas, O'Dare worked with Fabri to rediscover his explosive speed ahead of the pre-season trials that will determine whether he is offered an NRL contract.
"It's been really tough. I spoke to some of the other boys and they're relaxing and recovering with family," O'Dare said after completing his final session with Fabri yesterday.
"But I think it's a good opportunity for me to come down and train with Roger and get my speed back up because it's a crucial part for me that helps me with my game."
O'Dare registered a 10.98sec 100m as a schoolboy but after adding about 6kg of muscle through football training, he believes his times would now have slowed into the low 11sec range.
Explosive speed and the ability to break tackles are what is needed in the NRL though and O'Dare and Fabri, who also worked with Sydney Roosters players including Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Mitchell Pearce over the break, have poured in work over 20-30m as well as plyometric work and medicine ball workouts to have the fullback at his best.
While many of the Titans have the ability to work their way into the season, O'Dare needs to be at his best early to show he deserves to stay.
"As I look at it, I've only got one opportunity, so I don't want to hold anything back and say that I didn't do this, or I didn't train hard enough," he said.
"The first trial's against the Warriors (February 9) and that's going to be basically make or break for me.
"I've got to give it everything I can and really show what I can do to convince Carty (head coach John Cartwright) to keep me there rather than coming back to the Queensland Cup.
"I don't want to leave any stone unturned."
"I want to cover all areas and try and make myself a rounded, complete footballer rather than not doing things that are going to be beneficial in the long run."