Growing up in Wagga Wagga, Jaimin Jolliffe can vividly remember every time the NRL rolled into town.
It wasn't often he got to watch first grade in the flesh at his regional New South Wales hometown, so the hard-working prop knows how special travelling to Coffs Harbour will be this weekend for those in the Mid North Coast.
"As a kid growing up in Wagga, I saw very few NRL games, but when you did get the chance to, it was always special," Jolliffe said.
"I remember every NRL game I attended as a kid, so I think it's terrific for the kids and the families down there. Everyone's been doing it tough down on that northern New South Wales coastline.
"It'll just be good to get down there and get around all the community and get them down to the footy and hopefully mingle with them after the game.
"I know how much it means to them, so it'll be really special."
'We'll just keep working hard' - Jolliffe
Facing Cronulla on the road at Coffs, the clash is a must-win for the Gold Coast to get their season back on track, after a tough opening half of the year saw the club drop to 16th on the ladder.
"I'm probably a bit disappointed with how we're going and I think everyone is in the whole organisation, but the good thing is we get to play again and just keep working hard and hopefully get out there and turn it around," Jolliffe said.
"To be honest, I don't really look at [the other teams near the bottom of the ladder]. I'm just more focused on us and what we can do as a team.
"We'll just keep working hard each week and try and get get some results and turn it around and climb back up the ladder.
"It's never a good place to be. We're not happy at all, but we're trying to remain positive and just keep working hard and just keep being positive. We can turn it around. We do believe that.
"We'll just keep working here at training and get it right and hopefully take that onto the field."
Match: Sharks v Titans
Round 15 -
home Team
Sharks
4th Position
away Team
Titans
15th Position
Venue: C.ex Coffs International Stadium, Coffs Harbour
It was a tough day out for the Titans in 2021 when they previously faced the Sharks at C.ex Coffs International Stadium, but now has never been a better time to seek revenge on last year's loss heading into the representative weekend bye.
"They're a quality side. They've got some great players in their squad at the moment and they're playing some good footy," Jolliffe said.
"I think last year when we were down there, they really gave us a hiding so we'll be really looking to get out there and take it to him.
"We're coming up to a weekend off with the Origin, so it's a chance to make a statement, rest our bodies and then really fight for the back end of the year.
"Everyone has to buy into that, which we all are. We had a really good training session on Tuesday, so it's just about taking that right attitude down there and just really giving it to them."
