Titans deserve praise for dedicated attitude

I HAVE a new level of respect for the NRL - the ones of the Gold Coast Titans variety at least.

The beginning of this week was hectic for me as I reported on the Titans’ various training and public commitments during their week-long stay in Toowoomba.

But the reward was substantial - even if I did look like a beetroot by the end of the open training session at Clive Berghofer Stadium on Tuesday.

What amazed me the most is the camaraderie and energy in the team.

I understand it’s only pre-season but if they’re showing 70% of those energy levels over the course of the season they have my respect.

In the gym the players worked hard and encouraged each other to do the same. It was hard not to get caught up in the moment and empowered by all the energy thrown around.

At Clive Berghofer Stadium on Tuesday not a single player dropped their intensity over the course of the session.

And from all accounts every player worked hard and never complained during their gruelling hikes later in the week.

That camaraderie combined with a desire to work hard for their teammates will go a long way towards getting them over the line in tight games.

I’ve always wondered how footballers approach their careers. Is it like an office job? Or is it something more?

It’s clear it’s something much more to the Titans players.

Obviously the Titans, like any professional sports organisation, expect a certain degree of professionalism from their players.

It’s the players’ duty to ensure they act appropriately and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

However outside of their contractual and professional obligations you can see the players are there because they love league.

That passion for the game, a desire to reward their fans and honour their club is clearly what drives them forward.

They may earn the big dollars but they work hard for that contract.

As a result I’ll watch the NRL from a different viewpoint in 2018.

I might even give the Titans a little clap, a reserved cheer or a thumbs up - provided they’re not playing Melbourne of course.

PHOTOS: GOLD COAST TITANS HARD WORK: Gold Coast Titans players work together to pull a bus during an intensive bootcamp at Murphy’s Creek.

A Gold Coast Titans player controls his descent during an abseiling exercise at Murphy’s Creek Escape.