We've been there: resurgent Eels can relate to Titans pain

The finals-bound Eels can relate to what this week's opponents, the last-placed Titans, will be thinking this Friday at Cbus Super Stadium because they were in exactly the same situation last year.

The Eels had a shocker in 2018, failing to win a single away game as they collected the wooden spoon, but have bounced back strongly as they charge towards the 2019 Telstra Premiership finals.

The spoon is set to head north this year, with the Titans sitting six points behind 15th-placed Canterbury and needing a miracle to avoid running last.

With only pride to play for, they threw the ball around against the Dragons last week and racked up 28 points, but still slumped to their 16th loss of the season.

Veteran Eel David Gower says he can relate to what the embattled Titans players will be feeling with four games to go in a torrid season.

"We were in their situation last year and I know what we were trying to do in the last month of footy, we were trying to beat everyone we could," Gower said.

"Any team under adversity is going to come out fired up with a point to prove so we need to be at our best.

"We were trying to put our best foot forward to finish the season on a positive last year."

Personal pride, playing for contracts and providing nuisance value will be the motivators for the Titans and those factors helped the Eels to a mini-bounce last season, winning three of four games from round 19-22.

That included a huge spoiling win over eventual finalists the Dragons, and the Titans would love nothing more than to spring a morale-boosting upset against a team headed for September.

"They've got a new coach coming in and there's a lot of speculation on contracts and that sort of stuff, media and fans questioning their efforts and performances," Gower added.

"A team facing adversity is a dangerous team at any time, let alone away."

Eels skipper Clint Gutherson was also braced for the unpredictable danger the desperate Titans could pose.

"Any team on their day can beat anyone so we have to go up there and really be ready for a grinding game," Gutherson said.

"They scored 28 points [against the Dragons] and 28 points should be enough to win an NRL game. We've got to go up there ready to go, they're going to be firing and looking to try and finish the year off well and go into the off-season with a bit of pride and happiness so it's a massive game for us to try and secure our spot in the eight."

Of his own future, 33-year-old Gower said he was hoping to come to terms with the club to go around for one final season in 2020.

"I'm getting closer [to finalising something]," Gower said.

"The club and I are on the same page with that. There's the opportunity hopefully that I'll run around next year so I'm looking forward to trying to thrash out those negotiations over the next few weeks and look at locking that down.

"I do love this club and I'm very hopeful we can work it out."

Gower has bounced back from a couple of stints in reserve grade to repeatedly prove his worth in the top flight and is having arguably his most consistent season yet in 2019.

"I thought last year was my best year and then I think this year I've improved again which is a positive considering my age," Gower said.

"Everyone likes to remind me of my age but I don't think that should come into account at all.

"I use the old saying, you can't put an old head on young shoulders. I think football IQ is a very important part of the game these days and I'd like to think I've got a high football IQ and I dedicate what I need to do to get my body right week to week.

"I'm embracing the journey, I'm very grateful for the journey and I just love turning up every week and playing and competing."