Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan is committed to future-proofing the club, even if it costs him his job.
The Titans finished 14th in Brennan's first year as an NRL head coach, with an 8-16 record blown out by tight home losses to Penrith, Melbourne and North Queensland to finish the season.
The Titans have played in just one finals series since collecting the wooden spoon in a 2011 campaign that followed back-to-back top-four finishes.
But, with a solid squad assembled for 2019, a return to the finals is the expectation, according to executive chairman Dennis Watt.
And with off-contract Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett keen to continue beyond 2019 - when his current contract expires at Red Hill - the heat will be on Brennan to prove his worth.
But he insisted he'll put the club's needs before his own.
"It's about future proofing because in the past this club's been looking for some short-term fixes," Brennan said.
"You might say that 'oh you might not see that out because you don't get the results'.
"If that's the case so be it, I don't coach for my tenure.
"I coach for this club to make sure it can be a long-term success."
A former mentor of youth sides at Penrith and Newcastle, Brennan says developing talent from within the region is the key while the addition of classy trio Tyrone Roberts, Tyrone Peachey and Shannon Boyd next year will also create better competition for spots.
The unearthing of 19-year-old fullback AJ Brimson and 18-year-old forward Moeaki Fotuaika has also boosted the depth of the squad.
It should see the Titans make up some ground next season but Brennan pointed to Newcastle's slow build as evidence that it doesn't always happen that easily.
"They've improved out of sight and they're still not playing semi-final football," he said.
"I want to give the fans a club that can be successful in three, five, seven, 10 years ... not just three years then back to being wooden spooners."
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