The 26-year-old was part of the Knights team that was on the wrong end of the hiding at CBUS Super Stadium in the final round of the 2020 home-and-away season.

While the defeat stung, it also gave Ese'ese belief he was moving to a club on the up having agreed a two-year deal to join the Titans earlier in the year.

"Obviously when we played against them in the last game I was pretty disappointed that we lost but also at the same time I was excited because of the potential of the team," Ese'ese said after starting life at the Titans this week.

"How young the team is. It's definitely on the up."

Ese'ese is one of three exciting forward acquisitions by the Titans along with ex-Brisbane wrecking ball David Fifita and Melbourne premiership-winner Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.

Along with Moeaki Fotuaika, Gold Coast are bullish they possess a pack which can build on last year's ninth-place finish and end a finals drought stretching back to 2016.

Ese'ese is also aiming higher than simply finishing inside the top eight, proclaiming his new team is "definitely" a top-four shot in 2021.

It's a confidence which is refreshing for veteran winger Anthony Don ahead of his ninth season with the Titans.

"There's definitely a lot more confidence in the squad compared to this time last year where we were coming off 10 or so games in a losing streak," the 33-year-old said.

"This year we're coming off a five-game winning streak but that's all last season so that doesn't really count for next year.

"It's definitely more optimistic than this time last year."

Australian Associated Press