'We need a big pre-season': Holbrook puts full focus on getting November 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."