Parramatta are desperately trying to avoid the wooden spoon, while the Gold Coast will be brimming with confidence after their impressive last-start 36-12 win over the Warriors.
Few anticipated the landslide, but five-star performances from young guns AJ Brimson and Phillip Sami engineered a commanding victory at Cbus Super Stadium.
Key match-up: Nathan Brown v Jai Arrow. Both locks pride themselves on their work rate and enforcer factor. Whoever dominates from the opening whistle could determine who collects two Telstra Premiership points on offer. Arrow continues to catch the eye, going to another level after impressing for the Maroons in State of Origin.
For the Eels to win: Inject Clint Gutherson into the action at every opportunity. The classy fullback is the ultimate competitor, but much like his struggling teammates appears to have lost his mojo in 2018. If he fires alongside the in-form Jarryd Hayne, the hosts could chalk up their fifth victory of the campaign.
For the Titans to win: Let AJ Brimson show his class. The youngster has lived up to the considerable hype, acting as the perfect foil for Ash Taylor in the halves. Last Sunday he was close to best on ground against the Warriors, and a repeat performance could seal a win on the road for Garth Brennan's men.
Eels Stat Attack: Given they sit in 16th spot, it doesn't come as a major surprise they have made more tackles (6761) than any other team. Prop Daniel Alvaro has been an ironman, chalking up 748 tackles himself.
Titans Stat Attack: A whopping 645 missed tackles is one of the main reasons Gold Coast won't be playing finals football this year. On the flip side, Ash Taylor has the most try assists (17) in the competition.
And another thing: Saturday night will see Hayne take on his former employers from the glitter strip for the first time following his departure last November. Even though both sides out of semi-final contention, expect a fiery 80-minute encounter.
Eels: Winger George Jennings (groin strain) returns, allowing Jarryd Hayne to shift back to centre and Brad Takairangi to the bench. Reed Mahoney starts at hooker for Kaysa Pritchard (shoulder) with Jaemon Salmon to debut as the bench utility. Tim Mannah starts at prop with Daniel Alvaro (knee/concussion) out. Kane Evans has been recalled on the bench with David Gower dropping to the reserves.
Titans: The Gold Coast are unchanged.
Head-to-head: Played 17; Titans 11 wins, Eels 6 wins
Previous result: Eels won 30-8 at ANZ Stadium in round 24, 2017
Points per game: Eels 15.1; Titans 19.4
Points conceded per game: Eels 22.4; Titans 24.4
Televised: Fox League
Petero Civoniceva's prediction: This is a tough one to pick. The Titans will have some confidence after a good win and an extra spring in their step this week. They've certainly got some players that can do some damage. The Eels were good for a large part of that game against the Rabbitohs and even though they lost their way a bit over the final 20 minutes or so, I'm going with them to win this one on the home ground factor. They have some individuals who should be able to get them home.
Tip: Eels by 4
