Pint-sized Preston Campbell has declared he wants to wear the Titans No.1 jumper all season.

Gold Coast coach John Cartwright is expected to name the dynamic playmaker at fullback on Tuesday for the club's NRL season opener against Newcastle on Sunday despite pressure to use new recruit William Zillman in the attacking role.

Preston, who beat Andrew Johns to the Dally M Player of the Year in 2001, has assured Cartwright his injured ankle, which has prevented him playing a pre-season trial, will be close to 100 per cent by Sunday.

Cartwright is likely to select Campbell in his favourite position and name Zillman, who can also play several backline roles, on the bench as his back up.

"I'd rather stay with the number one on my back," said Preston when asked how he felt about being used as a utility impact player.

"We got some new young players at the club. It's not a case of out with the old and in with the new.

"It's more showing some belief in the young blokes and helping them fit in."

Campbell, who hopes to last 80 minutes against the Knights, said his ankle had come good in the last few days with a break from training.

"If you'd asked me a few days ago I probably would have said no, I wasn't right to go," said Campbell who last year cracked 200 NRL games after debuting for the Gold Coast Chargers in 1998.

"I've had a few days off. It's a lot freer, the swelling has gone down.

"I'm pretty confident it will be 100 per cent by Sunday.

"It's not the best preparation not having a trial game."

Campbell's goal on the weekend is to try to go for 80 minutes."

"I want to last 80 minutes and play well without getting injured," he said Monday.

Cartwright meanwhile will set prop Matt White a challenge going up against his former club Newcastle on the back of some strong trial form and impressive training.

White, who coincidentally comes from the Inverell Hawks where Preston played as a junior, should get the nod as Luke Bailey's front-row partner.

A confident punter last week backed the Titans to win the premiership in a series of bests that could net him more than $600,000 but they are still the $19 outsider of Queensland's three teams.

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