Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan admits Jarrod Wallace took pre-season shortcuts on his watch last year but that there has been no repeat in 2019.
Now in his second year in charge at the Titans, Brennan says he's got to know the players better and how they operate.
That wasn't the case last year, when the Queensland forward started the year out of shape and endured what Brennan agreed was a disappointing campaign.
"It was a bit of inexperience coming into a squad," he said.
"I didn't know the personalities and the people but this year I know exactly who they are and the shortcuts they might try and take.
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"Jarrod would be first to say last year he didn't have a good preseason with shortcuts and you can't make it up in the season, it'll cost you."
Wallace is back to the 2017 physique that saw him earn a State of Origin debut, with Brennan buoyed by what he could achieve in a pack that now includes the hulking Shannon Boyd.
"This year he's been fantastic, trained so hard; I'm looking forward to a really good year from him," Brennan said.
The coach said he had "pencilled in" his side's spine for their NRL opener against Canberra next Sunday.
He said emerging prospect AJ Brimson wouldn't be rushed back into the starting line-up after off-season shoulder surgery.
Brennan also insisted Boyd was "100 per cent" fit after being cleared of a serious finger injury stemming from the weekend's trial loss to Brisbane.
