Gold Coast Titans boss Graham Annesley says club in best position since 2007 inception
Connor O’Brien, @obrien_GCB, Gold Coast Bulletin
GOLD Coast’s sweeping NRL changes should be a trigger for immediate success, not consolidation, according to Graham Annesley.
The Titans chief executive has dismissed suggestions the club will view this season as a building block to bigger things in 2019 when it will have a year under its belt with the newly appointed coaching staff and ownership model.
The side are also largely yet to replace the seven-figure hole in the salary cap left by marquee fullback Jarryd Hayne, the two-time Dally M winner who has returned to Parramatta.
But Annesley says the Titans are placed better than ever in their 11-year history to funnel their full focus into on-field results.
“We now have every opportunity to perform well in the competition,” he told the Bulletin.
“At this stage of the year there are 16 clubs that think they are going to have a better year than last year. Only eight of them are probably going to be right – the ones that make the finals.”
Annesley believes qualifying for the playoffs is a very attainable goal – and, as the North Queensland Cowboys showed last year, anything can happen from there.
“We have a strong squad,” he said.

“We’ve got our coaching and support staff in place which the players are really enjoying and all of the off-field distractions around the future of the club have been resolved.

A consortium headed by Darryl Kelly (left) and Rebecca Frizelle (right) in December became Titans owners. Also pictured: Darryl’s wife Jo Kelly (second from left) and new executive director Dennis Watt (second from right). Picture: Glenn Hampson
“We don’t have any excuses. All of the elements that we have set out to put in place are now there and we just have to get on with it.
“It really is up to the players now … they have to take pride in their performances and their club which I’m sure they will do.
“(Coach) Garth Brennan is very determined that anyone we play will know that they have played us and we want to be out there having a fair old crack against every team we play and giving our supporters something to be proud of.”
Titans players return to pre-season training on Friday.
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