FAMILY now comes first for David Mead and the longest-serving Titan is no certainty to be at the Gold Coast beyond next year.

Mead is one of a handful of players to have sidestepped the revolving door on the Gold Coast as he prepares for his eighth season in the NRL.

Mead and wife Taneal welcomed their first child, Paxton, in the off-season and the 27-year-old admitted supporting his family would be at the forefront of his mind when contract negotiations roll around.

“You’ve got to look after your family,” he said. “You don’t get very long in football. You don’t know how long you’re going to play for.

“It’s another thing to weigh up when you’re negotiating contracts.

“I’m focused on playing. If anything pops out, I’ll sit back and wait until the back end of the year. I’ll play out the year and make a decision.”

The PNG product first pulled on a Titans jersey alongside now-retired winger Kevin Gordon in the 2008 under-20s competition, He made his NRL debut the following year.

Mead is the club’s highest tryscorer with 60 from 129 NRL appearances and has been a steady starter on the wing for many seasons.

He is one of a host of players coming off contract next season and is uncertain what the future holds.

Mead, Zillman, James and Greg Bird are the only players left at the club since its last finals appearance in 2010.

It’s been a tough five seasons and Mead is as hungry as ever to make the top eight in 2016.

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media_camera Mead says he has to look after his family with his next contract.

“I’m very determined. It’s been a long time since I played finals football,” he said.

“We want to get back to those results from our early days. As long as everyone stays fit we can do that.

“In the past few years I’ve been on the verge of the senior playing group but we’ve got a whole new squad and heaps of young guys so I consider myself one of the senior guys in the squad.

“It’s gone really quick. Time is flying.”

The Titans have been in pre-season training for two weeks with coach Neil Henry trying to finalise his squad which includes 10 players on “train and trial” contracts.

Originally published as Mead’s Titans future uncertain