The high-flying Gold Coast Titans take on competition heavyweights the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Cbus Super Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 5:30pm AEST.
When will NRL pundits take the Titans seriously as premiership contenders? That’s the question many Titans players have been asking after winning six of their first eight games in 2014.
It seems they still have a little more to prove in the eyes of their doubters, however, as they enter this contest as underdogs once again.
Their chances won’t be helped by the injury clouds hanging over the heads of playmakers Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly. Cody Nelson is on standby, while Ashley Harrison and Greg Bird could also slot into the halves should either (or both) players succumb to injury.
In-form fullback David Mead retains the No. 1 jersey after a strong showing in City-Country, forcing regular custodian William Zillman to make his return from injury at right centre.
Mead’s form has seen him mentioned as a potential Blues Origin bolter, and he’ll be looking for another big performance to press his claims.
The Rabbitohs, meanwhile, have retained the same 17 that scraped home against the Broncos last week, with youngsters Alex Johnston and Kirisome Auva’a keeping veterans Nathan Merritt, Joel Reddy and Lote Tuqiri out of the squad.
As always, the presence of Greg Inglis and Burgess brothers George and Sam will keep the Titans on their toes, with all three men in typically devastating form.
It’s becoming increasingly tough to go against the Titans given their winning ways so far in 2014, and I think much will come down to whether Sezer and Kelly are fit to lead their team around the park.
That said, if the Rabbitohs’ big guns fire as they did in Brisbane last week, they’re going to be very hard to beat.
Toss a coin in this one – I’ll go with the Titans by 4.
P22
Guest
Eat that Bird, still think your up with the best and flying under the radar.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Good win Bunnies, let's back it up next week against the Storm.
Adam
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME: Titans 18 - Rabbitohs 40
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 18 - Rabbitohs 40 80' CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL from Sezer.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 16 - Rabbitohs 40 79' TRY TITANS! Kelly grubbers through, it deflects off a Bunnies foot and Taylor picks it up to score. He's tried hard tonight Taylor and deserves that one.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 78' Sezer grubbers, Johnston takes it dead, dropout to come from the Rabbitohs. Titans really have offered precious little when attacking the Bunnies' line tonight.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 77' Harrison is down for the Titans, he's taken L Burgess's shoulder to the head in the tackle and he's now leaving the field. L Burgess on report but don't think he'll have any case to answer.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 77' Bunnies try to go wide on the first play and lose the ball, execution a bit off there. Titans have possession.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 76' Mistake by Titans on the first tackle, time to go home I think! Rabbitohs back on the attack now...
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 75' Reynolds kicks for Inglis playing out on the wing but it's too heavy and goes over the sideline. Little bit of a limp still in Inglis's step – he doesn't look too uncomfortable but might be something to watch out for after the game.
Scrubbit
Guest
Albert Kelly is severely overrated. I've never seen a halfback less involved in a team since Shane Perry at Brisbane. How on earth anyone sees him as a playmaker is beyond me.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 73' Forward pass from Kelly to Taylor, just not happening for the Titans through the hands tonight.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 72' How's this for a stat – 41 missed tackles for the Titans, 4 for the Rabbitohs. High ball from Kelly is lost backwards by Inglis and the ball is knocked dead for a dropout.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 40 69' CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL from Goodwin. George Burgess has been immense for the Bunnies tonight.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 38 68' TRY RABBITOHS! G Burgess busts through and finds Johnston backing up on the inside to score underneath the posts!
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 34 67' CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL from Goodwin.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 32 65' TRY RABBITOHS! And it's Dylan Walker, no denying him this time – four tries to his name!
The Spectator
Roar Guru
Same applies in the field of play, first touch held, continue to pull ball out is a strip and penalty.
Adam
Roar Guru
LIVE SCORE: Titans 12 - Rabbitohs 28 64' Again it comes down to a high ball from the Titans, that's all they have at the moment – Don wins the ball again but produces a forward pass to Takairangi so it's a Rabbitohs' ball.
The Spectator
Roar Guru
its a strip!