“Wayne [Bennett] just told me a couple of days ago that I was going to run there, so I just went in and did my best for 20 minutes for the boys.

“I’m probably more of a natural right-sided player – obviously I’ve got a favourable right-hand carry – but I can play both, and Wayne just said ‘it’s up to you where you want to play’.”

The Titans fullback battle became a two-horse race. Has De Groot opened it again?

Moving AJ Brimson from fullback to centre appeared to have solved a headache on the Gold Coast, with room for Jayden Campbell to take the No.1 jumper and rising star Keano Kini to cover him.

But Jaylan De Groot may have given coach Des Hasler another selection conundrum.

Campbell is expected to miss the first month of the season as he mounts a comeback from off-season knee surgery, with Kini likely to take his place having been lauded as one of the NRL’s most exciting up-and-coming prospects.

Yet, De Groot, who has bided his time at Parkwood and played in the preseason trials for the past three years, ultimately proved the difference on Sunday afternoon.

The Palm Beach Currumbin product looked ominous when he broke the line in the first half, and backed it up with a grubber for himself the following play only to put the kick a fraction too deep.

However, he kept coming back, eventually providing a brilliant cut-out pass for winger Tony Francis to score his second try of the afternoon and give the Titans an 8-4 lead.

While his output diminished in the second half as the Dolphins gained the ascendancy, his 82m from seven runs, line break, line break assist and try assist impressed against a far more experienced opponent.

De Groot got a taste of senior football last year, earning five Queensland Cup caps for the Tweed Seagulls and scoring three tries in the process, and while he is a long shot to usurp Kini and Campbell, sustained game time in 2024 could enable him to present a compelling case.

Gilbert’s injury began a Dolphins slide. What comes next on his comeback?

Tom Gilbert took the field for the first time since dislocating his shoulder in Queensland’s State of Origin Game One win last year – coinciding with the Dolphins’ slide down the ladder.

At that stage, the NRL’s newest outfit were just one win off the top of the ladder. They would win just two more games for the rest of the campaign.

While it was far from an emphatic comeback to action, Gilbert showed enough signs- particularly off the ball – that he would time his return run strongly in time for the club’s season launch against the Cowboys.

Finishing with 65 running metres and 28 tackles for just one miss, the star lock will look to play greater minutes in next week’s clash against the Eels having shown no ill-effects from his 2023 injury.

“He’ll get more minutes next week definitely,” Dolphins assistant coach Kristian Woolf said.

“That’s his first game for a good six months, so it was great for him just to go out there, get a hit out, get a little bit of confidence.

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“I thought he did a good job, and he’ll be so much better for that next week.”

Hasler boasts one of the most formidable run-on packs. These rookies may balance the scales

The Gold Coast possess one of the most fearsome starting packs in the game – Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Moeaki Fotuaika, Keenan Palasia, David Fifita and Beau Fermor making for a compelling team sheet.

But the concern heading into round one will be whether their bench options have the same punch able to ensure that once any of the star quintet leave the field they have the physical presence to stay in the contest.

While experienced campaigners Isaac Liu and Jaimin Joliffe provide solid options, emerging talents Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui and Josiah Pahulu thrust their names into the mix.

Fa’asuamaleaui, brother of skipper Tino, left the field with 31 minutes remaining for what appeared to be a head assessment, but looked imposing up until that point and was cleared to return to the field.

He went on to finish with 109 running metres, two tackle busts and 18 tackles.

Meanwhile, Pahulu was thrust into the starting side before kickoff and constantly looked busy.

In his first stint, when the Titans had much of the momentum, he carried with intent – finishing with 58m from six runs – while he was active in defence as the Dolphins turned the tide to finish with a game-high 29 tackles.

The teenager proved on his Queensland Cup debut last year he had the tools to make an impact from the pine, running for 153m for Burleigh on that occasion, and he has drawn the praise of the squad’s more established veterans for the way he has conducted himself at preseason.

Expect the pair to earn chances in 2024, and provide a glimpse into the future of the Glitter Strip’s pack.