Gold Coast man mountain Morgan Boyle's fatherly advice rings loudly in his ears each game.
The 21-year-old forward is the son of rugged former Canberra Raiders utility David Boyle, who played 117 games for the Green Machine in the 1990s.
"I talk to Dad before and after games and he says I’ve got to take it more personally and be more aggressive on the field," Boyle told NRL.com.
"He wants me to hit more with my shoulder and bring the old style back in.
"Dad is trying to slowly drum it into me. It is such a fast game compared to back then but first up contact is still the number one priority. When he says it before and after every game it does eventually sink in."
When NRL.com told Garth Brennan about Boyle's advice to his son, it was music to the Titans coach's ears.
"I’d like to see that as well, so his dad is saying the right things," Brennan grinned.
"Morgan’s a young guy who is still learning. He’s a baby really, but a big baby. Raw is probably the best word to describe him.
"He is a big body and physical, but he could probably be a bit more aggressive.
"I think he can use his body more and that comes from experience, I suppose. He’s a specimen. He just needs to work out how to use it."
Boyle said Brennan’s advice to him was of the "release the inner beast" variety as well.
"Garth just says ‘If he gets on your outside shoulder, go get a trophy’," Boyle said.
"It is actually a very simple plan Garth’s got. He says ‘Go get him and if he beats you on the inside the bloke on the inside is going to cover for you’."
The Titans hopes for Boyle are as strong as his 194cm and 111kg frame.
He came through the Raiders system initially, but had six clubs after his signature last year before he re-signed with the Titans until the end of 2020.
"I’m glad I did. It’s a great place, great coaching staff and a great team," he said.
As Morgan progresses it will be with his old man's legacy entrenched in his soul. Morgan is just relieved his father is still alive after a farm accident in 2010 almost killed him and left him in a coma.
"Dad’s all right now. He is not going to be 100 per cent but he is progressing and it beats going to visit him in the ground," Boyle said.
"He’s a lucky man to come out of it the way he did after what happened.
"When Dad had that accident it was just my mum [Shelley] and us five kids and it was a tough time, but we have a nice small community down home at Cobargo in the Bega Valley and they all dug in and helped out."
Boyle can’t wait for Sunday to rip into the Penrith Panthers led by the in-form Reagan Campbell-Gillard, another big “trophy” for him to target.
"That’s exactly right, and there’s a whole pack of trophies down there and if we control them you’d like to think we’d get over the top of them," Boyle said.
