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What’s the game ever done for him?
New Titans performance chief Mal Meninga has put Brisbane on notice, outlining his blueprint to make the Titans Queensland’s No.1 NRL team by becoming bigger than the Broncos.
On the eve of Saturday night’s derby trial at Cbus Super Stadium, Meninga says he is fed-up with the Titans being mocked by critics and has steeled himself for Mission Impossible – toppling the mighty Broncos.
Brisbane have been Queensland’s flagship team for 30 years, having won six premierships and amassing a record $46 million in revenue last year to flex their muscle as the NRL’s richest club.
By comparison, the Titans are the Broncos’ poor cousin. They drowned in a $25 million debt in 2012, had their licence taken over by the NRL three years later, and have made the finals just once in the past eight seasons.
But NRL Immortal Meninga has had enough. He says it is time to make the Titans a premiership force and has devised the type of multifaceted cultural plan that propelled Queensland to nine series wins in 10 years during his record reign as Maroons coach.
Installed as the Gold Coast’s performance and culture boss last November, Meninga scoffed at suggestions the Titans will never challenge the Broncos in the key southeast Queensland market.
“My vision is for the Titans to be bigger than the Broncos,” Meninga said.
“We aren’t going to stand there and be second best.
“I want to make an impact at this club. I want success for the Titans.
“Everyone laughs about the notion of us being bigger (than the Broncos). That disappoints me.
“People have to start thinking we can be a strong club and that the Gold Coast Titans are going places.
“I don’t like letting people down. I don’t want to let the Titans down.
“I want the Titans to be the strongest club in Queensland.”
Meninga accepts the task of usurping the Broncos is akin to scaling Everest, but the 58-year-old is a proven winner.
He won three premierships as a player at Canberra, captained Australia to two Kangaroo Tour successes, and coached Queensland to a record decade of dominance at Origin level.
Now he wants to impart his winning mentality on a Titans club still searching for their maiden premiership.
“As the head of performance and culture, I want to give them a sense of what it takes to be a winning club,” he said.
“I have been with winning teams all my life, whether it’s been playing or captaining or coaching.
“I understand what success looks like and I’d love to paint that picture for them.
https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...l/news-story/0a85094f8a958fffe1ea4940a37cbd66
“You need a common purpose and you have to be motivated by a set of core beliefs or value systems that is conductive to the club’s identity and the character of the people.
“You have to have an emotional intelligence about what the club represents and then it’s just damn hard work.
“We need to build the players’ physical and mental strength to consistently win tight games.
“The club has been so resilient over a long period of time. But I want us to fight out of it and have some good times.”
Meninga admires Brisbane’s remarkable wave of talent headlined by Payne Haas, David Fifita, Tom Flegler and Pat Carrigan, but says the Titans are ready to pounce.
“Brisbane’s depth in the forwards is incredible and the challenge for them is to keep them all and picking the right talent to stay at the club,” he said.
“If the Broncos are thinking about releasing talent, we’re just down the road as another option for players.”
