The teenage tattoo driving Cartwright's rebirth

They are the three words tattooed on the inside of Bryce Cartwright's right forearm that have inspired the Titans forward to resurrect a stalled career.

When the 24-year-old went through some dark days last year and was dropped to Intrust Super Cup in the midst of a form slump his thoughts turned to the first tattoo he got when he was 16.

The three words, a tribute to his father, junior coach and former Penrith Panther first-grader Dave Cartwright, simply read "never give up".

But Cartwright says that short mantra has been the key to his fresh outlook on life.

"I speak to my dad all the time and after every game he is someone I always turn to," Cartwight told NRL.com before being named in the Titans side to take on Canberra on Sunday.

"He coached me for a long time when I was young and would always blow up if I wasn't playing well. He was hard on me, but he instilled the mindset into me at a young age to get me where I want to be.

"The best advice he gave me was to 'never give up' and that is the first tattoo I ever got. It hits home whenever I look down and read it. The best lesson you can learn in life is to never give up, whether it is your dreams or on the field. I try to follow that every day."

Titans coach Garth Brennan said Cartwright had lived those three words in the pre-season as he ran with teammates to get fit and did his own extra sessions away from the coach's gaze.

"What Bryce has done is show me that he wants to be a footballer, and that is what I asked of him. The way he trained so hard and what he put himself through … you wouldn't do that unless you wanted to be a footballer," Brennan said.

"He was OK in the Cowboys trial and I thought he was really good against the Broncos where he set the tone with a really good shot on David Fifita on the tryline that rattled the stadium.

"Bryce isn't renowned for his solid defence, and he’s been criticised for it, but he has worked really hard on it with our staff and Trevor Gillmeister. It is exciting."

Cartwright intends to stay in Brennan's good books for the rest of the year.

"I haven't been in as good a shape since 2015. I've trimmed some fat off and it was the hardest pre-season I've done, so all credit to the strength and conditioning staff," he said.

"I just want to be in the side every week playing good footy. I've learned a lot from last year. I won't be making those mistakes again."

Off the field Cartwright has also been buoyed with the good things that have happened in his life with wife Shanelle.

"It has been a really good last three or four months for me," he said.

"Shanelle and I married in November and we just had a baby girl, Naia, a few weeks ago. We've got a 14-month old son Koa."

It is those he trusts that Cartwright continues to lean on. He isn't too proud to seek advice. His uncle, John Cartwright, now a Manly assistant coach after a stellar playing career with Penrith, is one of them.

"We spoke a little bit last year, because it was a tough year, and he gave me a little bit of advice," Cartwright said.

"He just told me to put my head down, work hard and play tougher. It gets through to you more when someone from your family says it, especially someone like John."