It was only 12 months ago that players like Keano Kini and Josiah Pahulu were part of the Future Titans program, looking up to the NRL squad.
Now their roles have completely reversed, with the duo progressing to the club's first grade squad and being players the next generation coming through now admire.
The pair are just two of the many success stories coming from the Gold Coast's pathways program, which has excelled in recent years to link the immense talent in junior systems fro Logan to Lismore, to the NRL for them to debut and achieve their potential.
Led by elite player development manager Jamie McCormack, he is proud of the amount of players who have got the opportunity to shine in an NRL pre-season from the pathways program.
"Our transition rate from the Future Titans into the NRL pre-season has been exceptional," he said.
"On average, we're transferring around 11 or 12 players per pre-season. Out of those, obviously Josiah Pahulu represented Australian Schoolboys and then has come into the big time now and is training exceptionally well, just like Keano Kini who did exactly the same, and a number of other boys as well."
"Our pathways program is a massive investment by our club. Our owners and our board... they want to see results and thankfully, we're really starting that transition over the last two or three years.
"We're producing more Australian Schoolboys than any other NRL club, and then obviously moving those up into the NRL pre-season squad.
"Thankfully, some of them will debut over the next coming years."
Both squads joined forced last week for their annual training session together, with the Future Titans getting the chance to test themselves and mix it with some of the Gold Coast's top stars such as David Fifita and AJ Brimson.
It was also a chance to reunite with former pathways players such as Jojo Fifita, Tom Weaver and Klese Haas, just to name a few.
"Every year, we have this opportunity to train with the NRL squad and our junior players are always super excited," McCormack said.
"It's a great way to connect the club together with our Future Titans pathways and our NRL players coming together for this training session."
Playing a big part in their preparations for two big days of footy early next year, the Future Titans will first travel to Coffs Harbour on January 21 to face the Newcastle Knights, before hosting the Brisbane Broncos the following week back on the Coast.
"No matter whether you're 15 all the way through to 19 years of age, if you're contracted, you're doing some form of pre-season with us here at Parkwood at the moment," McCormack said.
"We're going to reward some of the boys with trials in January so we'll play the Newcastle Knights in Under 17s and Under 19s. The following week, our Under 17s will backup and play the Brisbane Broncos.
"It's exciting times and a reward off the back of a lot of hard work over the hot summer months."
