Future Bronco David Mead has denied feeling like a traitor for leaving the Titans for arch rival Brisbane next season, revealing that there was no formal offer tabled by Gold Coast to stay with the club in 2017.
One of the longest-serving members of the Titans and the club's all-time leading try-scorer, Mead advised teammates that he would be joining Brisbane on a one-year deal immediately after the Broncos ended their season in the elimination final last Friday.
Having attracted interest from a number of other NRL clubs and even a Super Rugby franchise, Mead told NRL.com that the history of the Broncos and opportunity to contend for a premiership next season was behind his decision.
"Under the circumstances that I was leaving I didn't really feel like I was a traitor or anything," said Mead. "Nothing formal came up [from the Titans] and Brisbane was the other club that I was really interested in.
"They've had a winning culture for a huge number of years and always been a pretty successful club.
"They've got a good coach up there and some good young halves and good fullback as well so that combination of things was the most appealing to me.
"I would have liked to have won a comp here but because I'm moving up to Brisbane now I'd like to win a comp with them next year.
"That's the ultimate goal and that's what I'd like to achieve up there."
"I'm not going up there thinking I'm going to walk straight into the team, I've got to work pretty hard to get into the side," said Mead, who scored 67 tries in 147 games for the Titans, third on the list for most games for the club.
"They've got players there coming through the system who are playing well and a lot of young guys in the outside backs who are playing really well as well.
"Being on the Goldie, I knew there was competition there but I always had the thought that I could make the team. But going up to Brisbane it's a new environment, new players and I know I'm not going to walk straight into the team.
"I'll make sure I have a good pre-season with them and try and get that spot come Round 1. Hopefully I'm playing pretty good football for them to want to re-sign me.
"That's a challenge that I've set for myself as well."