The days may be long and the training might be tough, but Tweed new recruit Tom Steadman doesn't want to give up the feeling of NRL anytime soon.
Now five weeks into his train-and-trial at Titans HQ after switching from the Bears to the Seagulls over the off-season, the experience has left the 24-year-old with a burning desire to make his stay at Parkwood more permanent into the future.
Getting to experience his first NRL pre-season after growing up at the Central Coast before moving to Queensland to chase his first grade dream, it's been a tough initiation for the rising playmaker, but he doesn't want to change it for the world.
"This is obviously where I've wanted to get to for a few years now and it's a nice feeling to be here... but it's definitely been tough. I think after my first week, I woke up on the weekend and I couldn't move," Steadman told 7 News Gold Coast.
"It's just so different the training each and every day and you have three or four different sessions in the one day. It's something I had to get used to pretty quick because it's definitely a big jump.
"I am loving every minute of it though and now that I've got a little bit of a taste of it, I just want more. It's pretty addictive.
"I just want to keep doing what I can do to stay here full-time."
Admitting he got a bit 'starstruck' in his first week under the coaching of Des Hasler and the calibre of players in the Gold Coast NRL system, the 46-game Hostplus Cup star is hoping the experience will help him to be a more consistent performer in 2024, which Steadman is hoping will allow him to achieve his dream of making it in the NRL.
"The last few years, I've had a few injuries and been a bit inconsistent form wise, so hopefully this year with a bit of a NRL pre-season under my belt, the goal is to just play some consistent footy and see what can go from there," he said.
"It's been awesome to be able to learn from people like Des and the other coaching staff out there, and the other boys have been great too.
"They've all been awesome and I've absolutely loved it."
But with the switch from the Bears to Tweed to take up the opportunity with the Titans, the budding train-and-triallist knows he's in for plenty of friendly banter from his former teammates when they square off in the Gold Coast rivalry next season.
"That'll be a good day... I saw a few of the boys at the [QRL semi-pro day] and they're already giving it to me. I can only imagine what they're going to be doing on that first game (against Burleigh)," Steadman said.
"The chance came up to do six weeks of a NRL pre-season and I just had to take it.
"I've made some good mates this year at the Bears but the end goal is to crack the NRL so it was a no-brainer with getting an opportunity like this."
