The Gold Coast will know if their finals hopes are still flickering well before they run out on to Cbus Super Stadium to confront the Warriors on Sunday.
With the Titans sitting in 10th place, two points out of eighth place, they need Canberra to lose to the Roosters on Thursday night and Melbourne to beat the Sharks in the early Friday game before worrying about a win over the Warriors.
And even if those two results fall their way, they have ground to make up in the for-and-against columns where they lag behind the Sharks.
The Warriors formally dropped out of contention when they coughed up a 16-0 lead against Canberra in round 24 but are always a threat given their many talented attacking weapons.
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The rundown
Team news
Titans: Kevin Proctor, who had been battling an AC joint problem, is out with Sam McIntyre to start in the second row.
David Fifita will again start on the interchange bench in a match the Titans need to win by 11 points or more to sneak into the finals after the Sharks and Raiders were beaten. Toby Sexton will be Gold Coast's 18th man.
In the only change to last week's 17, Moeaki Fotuaika has been promoted from the bench to start at prop with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui sliding back to lock.
Greg Marzhew and Anthony Don dropped off the extended bench 24 hours before kick-off.
The Titans have won only two of their past seven games at Cbus Super Stadium.
Warriors: In a minor change announced an hour before kick-off, Jazz Tevaga moves from the reserves list to the interchange. Kodi Nikorima will be the Warriors' 18th man.
Matt Lodge was successful in fighting a dangerous contact charge at the judiciary on Tuesday night and will take his place in the side.
Chanel Harris-Tavita (foot) returns to the line-up at five-eighth and is expected to play.
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown comes on to the interchange in place of Bunty Afoa, who picked up a hamstring injury at training on Tuesday.
Adam Pompey and Jack Murchie were omitted from the playing squad on Saturday.
The Warriors have won nine of their past 11 games against the Titans.
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Key match-up
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui v Addin Fonua-Blake: The young Maroons representative has had a good season despite struggling to live up to the pre-season hype while Fonua- Blake has finished strongly after missing time with injury. The young bull has the advantage in tries (three to one) and tackle busts (46-31) having played four more games but Fonua-Blake comes out on top in offloads (20-5) and average metres (161-135).
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Stat attack
The Gold Coast have a poor track record against the Warriors, winning only twice in the past 11 contests between the two sides - round nine last year and round 20, 2018. The poor run includes a six-match losing streak between 2015 and 2018.
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