For Gold Coast Titans coach Garth Brennan Friday's training session at Scully Park ahead of their NRL clash with the Wests Tigers was a flashback to his younger playing days.
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The Newcastle product recalled playing at Scully as a 15-year-old. It wasn't the first-class facility that it is these days, but still left an impression on Brennan.
"I remember back then I used to go away thinking 'what about the surface of Scully Park - you could sleep on it'," he said.
"It was always renowned to be a good quality surface and it hasn't changed."
He said it's great to be able to get out to regional areas.
"It's great to take a game out to the bush and to some country people that don't get to see a lot of top flight football, especially competition games," he said.
"They get to see a lot of trial matches but not when two points are up for stakes and that's when it really matters.
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"It's a great rugby league heartland - Tamworth, so [we're] really looking forward to putting on a good show."
After a sluggish start the Titans have hit some form, winning their last two.
"The guys are in a good place," Brennan said.
"We started the year with a fair bit of expectation, there was a lot of pressure on the boys and they probably played a little bit uptight to start with. But they've relaxed a little bit, which is good, and they're just focusing on the processes more so than the result and it's showing in the performance."
It's now about consistency, something the Titans haven't been renowned for and are keen to try and change.
"We're a team that started the year with a motto close enough's not good enough and so to get two wins and then have a loss or a couple of losses is just not acceptable in the NRL," Brennan said.
"It's important that we come out with a real purpose tomorrow as well to continue winning games and keep ourselves in contention for the eight at the back end of the year."
While they trained on Friday morning the Tigers were greeted by hundreds of fans in the afternoon when they hosted a signing session.