When Jamal Fogarty attended Gold Coast's 2020 season launch, the halfback didn't even know if he was going to be part of the Titans squad that year.
Fogarty was on a development deal when he attended the function, knowing at 26 he was on his last chance to forge a career in the NRL.
A year later and halfback Fogarty was back at the Titans' launch function this week - as the club's co-captain.
"That was my first team event that I came to last year," Fogarty told AAP.
"I might have trained once that week and then went there and I was just on a development deal and here I am as a co-captain of the club.
"It's been a crazy 12 months but it's been awesome and I can't wait for this season."
Having debuted for the Titans back in 2017, Fogarty was released by the club at the end of 2018 after playing just two NRL matches.
Re-signed on a two-year deal after impressing coach Justin Holbrook during the competition's COVID-19 shutdown, Fogarty returned to the NRL in round three last year and went on to make 18 appearances for the Titans in 2020.
His arrival in the No.7 jersey allowed Ash Taylor to shift to five-eighth and many credited Fogarty's leadership and decision-making with freeing Taylor to play his natural, instinctive game.
Fogarty knows last year was all about seizing his opportunity and now, with his NRL future secure, he's excited to lead a rising Titans outfit many are tipping to be among the big improvers this year.
"Once this opportunity came I just knew that I had to put all my eggs in the basket and have a crack and luckily last season was good.
"But that doesn't mean nothing because it's a new season, hopefully we can go up another gear this year."
Australian Associated Press
