Sitting 12th and 14th on the ladder the Titans and Roosters are fast running out of time to start a charge towards the finals.
Both sides sit on 20 competition points with seven games to play and the loser of Saturday afternoon's clash on the Gold Coast faces a monumental task to try and make the eight.
Having won just two of eight away games in 2023 and conceding 22 points per match, the Roosters will be wary of a Titans outfit capable of producing tries from anywhere on the back of the brilliance of AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell and rookie sensation Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
Boasting 17 tries in 16 games, Khan-Pereira needs just one more four-pointer to set a new club record for most tries in a season, the 21-year-old's speed and finishing skills sure to have the Roosters on high alert.
Another man on the verge of breaking a club record is prolific Roosters flyer Daniel Tupou, who bagged a double against the Storm to draw level with the great Anthony Minichiello on 139 tries for the foundation club.
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Team News
Titans: A late switch an hour before kick-off with Chris Randall to start the game at prop and Isaac Liu moving back to the bench. Skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui will miss the next three games after taking an early guilty to a shoulder charge on Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Maroons rep AJ Brimson returns to the No.1 jersey with Jayden Campbell dropping back to the bench. Forward Joe Stimson returns after missing the Eels game due to concussion.
Roosters: Brandon Smith will start the game at hooker in a late switch with Jake Turpin, who goes to the bench. Victor Radley dropped out of the side on Friday due to hamstring tightness and is replaced by Egan Butcher with Fletcher Baker added to the bench. The return of skipper James Tedesco at fullback, after he was rested in Round 20, means Joey Manu moves to the centres and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shifts back to the wing. Terrell May is the new face on the bench after Naufahu Whyte suffered a knee injury in the loss to the Storm.
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Stat Attack
- The Roosters have scored 278 points at an average of 16 points per game. Ater 20 rounds last year they had scored 453 points at 23ppg.
- Titans youngster Alofiana Khan-Pereira is third in the NRL for line breaks with 22, behind only Ronaldo Mulitalo (24) and Alex Johnston (24).
- The Titans have not beaten the Roosters at Cbus Super Stadium since 2016.
- The Roosters have won their past nine games against the Titans.
- Titans forward David Fifita will make his 100th NRL appearance.
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Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.