Titans coach Des Hasler is expecting to see more consistent performances from his side in the upcoming season as the Gold Coast work to return to finals football in 2025.
Hoping to break a three-year drought since their last playoffs appearance in 2021, the veteran mentor feels it was his side's lack of regularity throughout last season that led to their downfall, having shown glimpses they could match it with the best during their purple patch of success where they won seven from 10 games in the mid-section of their previous campaign.
Match: Bulldogs v Titans
Round 2 -
home Team
Bulldogs
3rd Position
away Team
Titans
13th Position
Venue: Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney
Watching on with the first bye of the season ahead of their Round 2 clash against the Bulldogs in Sydney, the extra time has allowed for a different approach to the pre-season with the further week of preparation helping to achieve what the Gold Coast mentor has identified as the catalyst to be a premiership contender in the NRL.
"I think you'll see better and more consistent performances right across the board and that excites me," Hasler told The Big Sports Breakfast.
"It's the consistency that we need to improve in and that's what it takes [to be successful in the NRL]."
Pleased to welcome back Tino Fa'asuamaleaui who is fit and firing for the club's season opener next week, Hasler feels his side was able to evolve without their leader on the field, which in turn will have a huge benefit especially with the development of the forward pack, alongside the recruitment of representative prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard who joins the club as Parramatta's best player in 2024.
"Losing Tino early... he's a pretty inspirational for the players and a big part of what we do," he said.
"In the 12 months that has passed, our players have grown [without having Tino there] and we feel the recruitment of Reg is a good one because it just adds another layer of experience."
Embarking on an impressive milestone in 2025 as he prepares to begin his 20th season as a head coach in the NRL, the 64-year-old admits he hasn't lost an ounce of passion for the greatest game of all after an illustrious playing and mentoring career that has spanned almost five decades.
"Rugby league has been a big part of my life. I started playing in 1980, so I've been involved for over 45 years now," Hasler said.
"It's something you enjoy doing and it's probably the changes and challenges of it [that drive me the most], but also certainly working within the confines of the team and seeing people develop and grow.
"The game has changed and to be part of that and all its history - the Super League war into the amalgamation of clubs and getting it back together and then the growth and the sudden revolution and exposure of the game to where it sits currently... it just keeps growing and growing.
"The more eyes we get on the game of rugby league, the better its going to be."
