Gold Coast Titans coach Justin Holbrook has gone back to the future with his NRL recruitment and says he now has "the best" balance in the key spine positions of his four-year tenure.
The best-ever Titans side that made the 2010 NRL preliminary final boasted half Scott Prince and fullback Preston Campbell, who had won titles with Wests Tigers (2005) and Penrith (2003) respectively.
This year's Titans outfit will feature star recruits in playmaker Kieran Foran and hooker Sam Verrills.
Veteran Foran won the 2011 NRL title with Manly and Verrills also tasted premiership glory in 2019 with the Roosters.
Holbrook has coached the Titans for three completed seasons. They finished ninth in his first season, eighth and made the finals in the second and slipped to 13th last year.
Premiership winners like Foran and Verrills know how to perform regularly during the year, and crucially when the whips are cracking in September.
"And that means a lot to me as a coach, and to the players around them," Holbrook told AAP.
"When you have got key guys in the spine it makes everybody play better. That's their job. They touch the football the most. They decide what we do with the football. Everybody will benefit.
"Sam Verrills won a comp with the Roosters as a 20-year-old. I've had great reports about him.
"We needed experience in that area. We juggled Erin Clark and Tanah Boyd there last year, and both are not natural nines.
"Kieran Foran is exactly what we need as an experienced half after we looked a bit lost last year at various times."
Former dual international Mat Rogers was also a member of the 2010 Titans team at five-eighth. Throw in hooker Nathan Friend, who had played in the 2006 grand final for Melbourne, and it was the best spine the Titans ever fielded.
Holbrook wants to settle on a similar strike quartet by the end of February.
The versatile AJ Brimson, either in the halves or at his natural position of fullback, will be a third certain spine starter.
That leaves Boyd, fullback Jayden Campbell, half Toby Sexton and former Newcastle utility Chris Randall in the mix for a starting spot or on the bench.
"Whichever way we go we will still have great backup options...and I need them," Holbrook said.
"Last year we didn't have the options."
"Tanah is definitely in the mix (in the halves) and Toby Sexton will definitely be better for last season. It was hard on him not having an experienced half around him.
"We will see how AJ Brimson and JC (Campbell) shape up at fullback. AJ is obviously equally as good in the halves. He will play one of those two positions.
"While it is great to have options, when you look at the top sides they are not questioning who is going to be one, six, seven or nine. They know.
"The quicker we get settled on the best combinations the better for our team."
