New Titans hooker Sam Verrills has experienced lofty peaks in the NRL and deep lows due to circumstances beyond his control.
"And all of that has made me stronger and hungrier to do well," Verrills told AAP.
"In the NRL you are going to cop injuries and face adversity, but it is all about how you build off it and overcome it."
The 24-year-old will start at hooker in his first game for the Titans in Sunday's NRL Pre-Season Challenge clash with the Dolphins at Redcliffe.
Verrills won a premiership with the Sydney Roosters in his rookie year of 2019, scoring the first try of the grand final win over Canberra as starting No.9.
"To have success like I did in my first year ... that was a dream," he said. "I thought, 'How good is life?'"
A ruptured ACL ruined 2020, then a frightening detached retina followed in 2021.
Verrills had taken longer than he anticipated to recover from his knee injury and was named to play St George Illawarra on Anzac Day in 2021. He woke up three days beforehand and knew there was something wrong.
"I told my doctor my left eye was a bit blurry, but it was my return game. There was no way I was pulling out," he said.
"I played the Dragons, got through unscathed and then played Newcastle. It got pretty bad and I said to doc, 'I can't see out of my left eye'.
"I did the eye test and I couldn't read the big, bold letter at the top of the list. He sent me to an optometrist. That night I was having surgery.
"I could see afterwards but I had had an eye patch on for a week or two. It turned out I'd had some kind of trauma to the eye, some kind of hit, without me knowing."
Verrills has also had broken thumbs and a collarbone injury.
"The worst was the detached retina. It was the unknown," he said.
"I wasn't sure if I was going to see out of my left eye again, but it is fine now."
Verrills was released from the final two years of his Roosters deal after former Storm rake Brandon Smith signed to join the Tricolours for 2023.
"Being my age, I really want be a number nine in the competition. I didn't want to come off the bench and play second fiddle," he said.
"I knew the Gold Coast was the right opportunity for me and I am super stoked to be here.
"I spoke to the players who had been coached by Justin (Holbrook) when he was at the Roosters and I looked at the forward pack here, and Kieran Foran was already signed.
"I know the Titans had it tough last year but this is a team I really want to play for and bring as much success as I can to the club and the area."
