Shannon Boyd was chasing a fresh NRL start when he made the move from Canberra to Gold Coast but there are some things the Test prop can't live without.
The 26-year-old is optimistic his time under second-year coach Garth Brennan will return him to the form that saw him play in and win four Tests for Australia in 2016.
Between his football commitments he'll kick up his heels on a newly-purchased hinterland acreage that reminds him of a childhood spent on his family's sheep and lucerne farm in country NSW.
Listed at 122kg, the prop was poached by Brennan on a four-year deal reportedly worth $2.4 million.
He will join a club that has lifted its amnesty-of-sorts in Brennan's debut season and now expects a top-eight finish.
They will field one of the competition's bigger packs, including Queensland forwards Jai Arrow and Jarrod Wallace, NSW hopeful Ryan James and emerging trio Moeaki Fotuaika, Keegan Hipgrave and Jack Stockwell all packing a punch.
"A fresh start was what I needed; I'd been in Canberra a long time," Boyd said.
"I'd like to start playing rep footy again ... but there's been no chats with (Australian coach) Mal (Meninga).
"I've got to play some better football first before I get that chat."
A last-ditch trial when Ricky Stuart took the Raiders reins in 2014 stopped Boyd from ditching his NRL aspirations altogether and he says he'll happily return to the farm once his playing days are over.
"I was pretty much done (with rugby league)," he said.
"If it wasn't for Ricky I wouldn't have played, but I gave it one more crack when he came and the played first grade round one that year."
But Boyd knew it was time to move on and said a quick tour of the Titans facilities - and finding a spot of land to his liking - helped seal the deal on the Gold Coast.
"I'm not a big fan of the beach ... I love the farm and will always go back to that," he said.
Boyd slogged out a series of 2km time trials with his new teammates on a sweaty Monday morning at Parkwood, with Tyrone Roberts a familiar face on the sidelines.
The returning utility, Penrith recruit Tyrone Peachey and former Melbourne half Ryley Jacks are all due to begin training in coming weeks.
