2023 Season General Discussion Thread

[Hail Sezer]

I'm selfishly hoping Samoa beat Tonga purely so that we can get Fifita back earlier and into pre-season to prep for 2023. He's probably one of the ones that will benefit the most from an overhauled conditioning and defensively focused pre-season. Mo as well.

[Hail Sezer]

Photo Gallery from day one on the field:

https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...n-is-underway/

[DIEHARD]

I'm selfishly hoping Samoa beat Tonga purely so that we can get Fifita back earlier and into pre-season to prep for 2023. He's probably one of the ones that will benefit the most from an overhauled conditioning and defensively focused pre-season. Mo as well.

That's true. Should be a great match-up!

I'm enjoying the focus on pre-season content. I know we have just started but it seems to be the most news/content in years.

[DIEHARD]

'We need a big pre-season': Holbrook puts full focus on getting November right
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...ovember-right/

Justin Holbrook has wasted no time in the first field session of the 2023 pre-season, knowing the importance of getting this time of the year right to return to playing finals footy.

Hitting the ground running with a mix of fitness and skill-based drills in the maiden outing of the new campaign, the Titans coach wants to ensure his side can capitalise on the early start to turn around the disappointing results in 2022.

"We have to (start well) because we can't catch it up during the year," Holbrook said.

"Other clubs who are established with their side can have longer time off because they gel together really quickly, but for us, that's not a position we're in and we've got to work a lot harder to catch them.

"We need a big pre-season. All the players and staff know it, so we've just got to get in and do it now."

Whilst it might only be the younger extended playing group who have returned to Parkwood for the opening week of pre-season training, that hasn't stopped the club's senior leaders contributing to their quest to play finals footy.

Before breaking for the off-season and World Cup duties, the squad spent a lot of work to hit the ground running for 2023, addressing their intentions to bring premiership success to the Gold Coast.

"When you don't have a great year, you look at everything... fitness, mental resilience, skill level. I think collectively, we've got to be better. We weren't good enough last year and we know that," Holbrook said.

"The good thing is, at the backend of last year, we addressed a lot of stuff and it was good before the guys went to the World Cup, Tino especially had a big impact on how we wanted to start the pre-season.

"We're well advanced in that area, we're not just starting with the young guys and waiting for the senior guys to get back. They've already put their stamp on how they want things done so we're way ahead of where we need to be in pre-season and obviously already started."

Also helping get back on track was new Titans assistant coach Brett White, who has already made his mark on training, taking charge with a number of drills which allowed Holbrook to sit back and observe how his side handled day one on field.

"It's good to have Whitey straight away running some some good drills and see the young boys get through it and it's good for myself to watch them in action," he said.

"We needed a change in players and a change in staff. It's nothing against anybody there, that's just what happens in sports.

"We made a few changes and Whitey will be great and he's really enthusiastic. He's a really tough sort of guy which is what we need."

[Titanic]

I’m not interested in comments about being ahead after two days. Get stuck in and let’s see next year.

[NZFan]

While I’m hoping that we start well next year, it will be interesting to see Holbrooks attitude and decision making if we don’t. He seemed very hestitate to react last season when results weren’t going our way and when he did seemed to make tokenistic changes (ie bringing in Isaako for Marzhew). I can’t see him getting another chance if he is as slow to identify the root of the problems as he was this year.

[The Birdman]

While I’m hoping that we start well next year, it will be interesting to see Holbrooks attitude and decision making if we don’t. He seemed very hestitate to react last season when results weren’t going our way and when he did seemed to make tokenistic changes (ie bringing in Isaako for Marzhew). I can’t see him getting another chance if he is as slow to identify the root of the problems as he was this year.

Agreed. I don't care for the BS "they're training the house down this preseason" articles that come out each year. I want to SEE it in the first few rounds.

If we have a slow start to 2023 Holbrook's got to go.

[Hail Sezer]

Yeah, I think we’ve seen enough pre-seasons now to know that every club is apparently having the best/hardest pre-season in history and they’re all looking like premiership winners. I still enjoy the process of it though and the content that surrounds new players, training methodology, etc. to shape the upcoming season.

2023 will be interesting because it’s glaringly obvious the areas that we were so far off the mark in 2022. The club seems to have acknowledged these and has taken steps to try and improve it so now it’s on Holbrook to make that happen. IMO he’s still working with a football department that’s well under-resourced compared to other clubs but I’ve gone on about it enough and it seems that is the way they’re gonna roll. I think mid-season 2023 gives a fair amount of time to assess Holbrook’s position

[JunctionBlock]

Guess the club needs to look at what is or will give them the best return on investment. One wage jumps to mind.....

But even down to match day entertainment, do I go to a game to see local bands, fireworks and skydivers or do I come to see my team able to compete? Whilst the fluffy stuff is good intent the end game is a winning team.

[DIEHARD]

I just want to see a livestream of a week-long boot camp.

[DIEHARD]

I still enjoy the process of it though and the content that surrounds new players, training methodology, etc. to shape the upcoming season.

Good way to look at it too.

[Titanic]

After the season we had the coaching team are out of their goddamned cotton-picking minds doing anything else except playing a straight bat to any and all media. Promoting new players etc cannot be wrapped into ridiculously optimistic statements no matter the spin. That was last year. This year it’s toughen up, put up and shut the fark up.

[SCoast Titan]

Has anyone got any info on who Cameron Ferguson is?? Where he came from??

[jacksonm]

Agreed. I don't care for the BS "they're training the house down this preseason" articles that come out each year. I want to SEE it in the first few rounds.

If we have a slow start to 2023 Holbrook's got to go.

Love to know what the issue was with the previous Fitness guy and how Ferguson is different

While I’m hoping that we start well next year, it will be interesting to see Holbrooks attitude and decision making if we don’t. He seemed very hestitate to react last season when results weren’t going our way and when he did seemed to make tokenistic changes (ie bringing in Isaako for Marzhew). I can’t see him getting another chance if he is as slow to identify the root of the problems as he was this year.

Yeah, I think we’ve seen enough pre-seasons now to know that every club is apparently having the best/hardest pre-season in history and they’re all looking like premiership winners. I still enjoy the process of it though and the content that surrounds new players, training methodology, etc. to shape the upcoming season.

2023 will be interesting because it’s glaringly obvious the areas that we were so far off the mark in 2022. The club seems to have acknowledged these and has taken steps to try and improve it so now it’s on Holbrook to make that happen. IMO he’s still working with a football department that’s well under-resourced compared to other clubs but I’ve gone on about it enough and it seems that is the way they’re gonna roll. I think mid-season 2023 gives a fair amount of time to assess Holbrook’s position

Guess the club needs to look at what is or will give them the best return on investment. One wage jumps to mind.....

But even down to match day entertainment, do I go to a game to see local bands, fireworks and skydivers or do I come to see my team able to compete? Whilst the fluffy stuff is good intent the end game is a winning team.

Has anyone got any info on who Cameron Ferguson is?? Where he came from??

[GCTTSD]

I'd love to see JoJo and Dave training with a full off season together as a centre backrow combo that could be deadly