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In a season of few highlights, the Titans' emphatic win over Manly at Lottoland in round 11 was certainly a night to remember.

The Titans have only scored 43 tries all season and seven of those came that night as their attack clicked into gear and Dale Copley reaped the rewards with a hat-trick.

Unfortunately for Gold Coast they turned around a week later and crossed the stripe only once in a demoralising 6-4 home loss to the Cowboys.

And that's their season in a nutshell - dangerous one week, dire the next.

Hard to know which Titans outfit will turn up on Saturday but at least they come with the knowledge they have what it takes to beat the Sea Eagles.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Titans is number 1 AJ Brimson
    Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom Trbojevic
  • Winger for Titans is number 2 Anthony Don
    Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jorge Taufua
  • Centre for Titans is number 3 Jesse Arthars
    Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Dylan Walker
  • Centre for Titans is number 4 Brian Kelly
    Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Mosese Suli
  • Winger for Titans is number 19 Phillip Sami
    Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Reuben Garrick
  • Five-Eighth for Titans is number 6 Tyrone Roberts
    Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Cade Cust
  • Halfback for Titans is number 7 Ryley Jacks
    Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans

Forwards

  • Prop for Titans is number 8 Jarrod Wallace
    Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
  • Hooker for Titans is number 9 Nathan Peats
    Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Manase Fainu
  • Prop for Titans is number 10 Moeaki Fotuaika
    Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Martin Taupau
  • 2nd Row for Titans is number 12 Bryce Cartwright
    2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Joel Thompson
  • 2nd Row for Titans is number 21 Kevin Proctor
    2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Curtis Sironen
  • Lock for Titans is number 13 Jai Whitbread
    Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

  • Interchange for Titans is number 11 Will Matthews
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Brendan Elliot
  • Interchange for Titans is number 14 Mitch Rein
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Corey Waddell
  • Interchange for Titans is number 16 Jack Stockwell
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Morgan Boyle
  • Interchange for Titans is number 17 Shannon Boyd
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Taniela Paseka

Match Officials

  • Referee: Chris Sutton
  • Referee: Phil Henderson
  • Senior Review Official: Henry Perenara

Last updated:

The Rundown

Team news

Titans: Phil Sami comes onto the wing at the expense of Dale Copley, while Kevin Proctor has been cleared to return and rushed into the starting lineup for Will Matthews, who has dropped to the bench. Tyrone Peachey has been ruled out and Jai Arrow remains sidelined with an ankle injury. Prop Moeaki Fotuaika was forced to withdraw from Tonga's extended squad for their Test against New Zealand with a wrist injury but has been named. Branko Lee was omitted an hour prior to kick-off and Leilani Latu was cut from the reserves on Friday.

Sea Eagles: No disruptions or concerns in regards to the 17-man team Des Hasler named on Tuesday. Manase Fainu replaces injured hooker Api Koroisau (ankle), while Brendan Elliot and Corey Waddell are the new faces on the bench. Kane Elgey and Haumole Olakau'atu were the last players cut before kick-off. Lachlan Croker and Lloyd Perrett were trimmed from the reserves on Friday.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Titans is number 1 AJ Brimson
    Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom Trbojevic
  • Winger for Titans is number 2 Anthony Don
    Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jorge Taufua
  • Centre for Titans is number 3 Jesse Arthars
    Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Dylan Walker
  • Centre for Titans is number 4 Brian Kelly
    Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Mosese Suli
  • Winger for Titans is number 19 Phillip Sami
    Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Reuben Garrick
  • Five-Eighth for Titans is number 6 Tyrone Roberts
    Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Cade Cust
  • Halfback for Titans is number 7 Ryley Jacks
    Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans

Forwards

  • Prop for Titans is number 8 Jarrod Wallace
    Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
  • Hooker for Titans is number 9 Nathan Peats
    Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Manase Fainu
  • Prop for Titans is number 10 Moeaki Fotuaika
    Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Martin Taupau
  • 2nd Row for Titans is number 12 Bryce Cartwright
    2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Joel Thompson
  • 2nd Row for Titans is number 21 Kevin Proctor
    2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Curtis Sironen
  • Lock for Titans is number 13 Jai Whitbread
    Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

  • Interchange for Titans is number 11 Will Matthews
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Brendan Elliot
  • Interchange for Titans is number 14 Mitch Rein
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Corey Waddell
  • Interchange for Titans is number 16 Jack Stockwell
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Morgan Boyle
  • Interchange for Titans is number 17 Shannon Boyd
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Taniela Paseka

Match Officials

  • Referee: Chris Sutton
  • Referee: Phil Henderson
  • Senior Review Official: Henry Perenara

Last updated:

Key match-up

With Ash Taylor not expected to be rushed back, the job of trying to drag the Titans out of the cellar falls to Ryley Jacks. At 27, he is just three years younger than Manly No.7 Daly Cherry-Evans, but is 175 games younger in terms of NRL experience. DCE has enjoyed an Origin renaissance and has Manly playing some attractive footy while Jacks has looked composed in his four games in 2019. 

For the Titans to win 

With Jai Arrow sidelined the Titans desperately need a couple of other big men to put their hands up and match motors with Martin Taupau, Addin Fonua-Blake and Jake Trbojevic. If Moeaki Fotuaiki returns from a wrist injury that will be a big boost and Maroons rep Jarrod Wallace is another who can churn out plenty of metres. Wallace has averaged 153.3 metres per game in 2019 and he'll need every one of those if the 15th placed Titans are to upset a confident Manly side which sits nine spots above them on the ladder.

For the Sea Eagles to win

Get the ball to Tom and Jake and let them do their stuff. The Trbojevic boys were simply stunning for the Blues in Origin II and can be relied upon to deliver another high quality performance before they get a bye in round 16 and then set their sights on the series decider. It's a rare feat for brothers to play in the same Origin side - think Brett and Josh Morris and Brett and Glenn Stewart - but even rarer that they would emerge as two of the standout stars and battle it out for man of the match honours.

Brett Kimmorley says

Des is doing wonderful things at Manly. They’ll get rep players back. The Trobojevic brothers were wonderful in Origin II. The Titans are unsure where they’re at. They haven’t shown me enough to convince me they’ll challenge one of the red-hot teams. Sea Eagles by 10

Stat Attack

The Titans will have to be focused on making ball-and-all tackles all afternoon of risk paying the price against the NRL's most prolific off-loaders. The Sea Eagles have 168 offloads, four more than second-placed Parramatta. On the downside, Manly's 245 ineffective tackles is the highest in the league, while their 104 penalties is equal-second most with Canberra.

And another thing ...

The Titans have become something of a bogey side for the Sea Eagles, winning their past three meetings, including a 36-18 triumph in round 11 on Manly's home turf. The Sea Eagles can't afford a second loss to a team that looks like finishing well down the ladder. Des Hasler will be preaching defence after Manly conceded an average of 36.7 points in those three previous losses to the Titans.

Acknowledgement of Country

Gold Coast Titans proudly acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout South East Queensland.