Round 18: Gold Coast v Parramatta preview
Consistency first if the Titans are to net slippery Eels
An enigmatic Titans return home to host an Eels outfit braced for the toughest run to September of the top four sides.
The Gold Coast defied the critics with a last start demolition in the nation's capital, but to be any hope this week, they'll need to reverse a horror trend that has them conceding an average 39 points against the top six teams.
The 44-6 shellacking of the Raiders, the biggest victory in the club's history, was all the more impressive given three of the tries came with only 12 men on the park.
It could be a sign Justin Holbrook's side has finally turned the corner. With David Fifita returning from suspension possibly alongside the club's three other Maroons stars, on paper at least, the Titans look better than their meagre tally of six wins.
Fielding the same 17 that were so successful against Canberra, the Titans are now at the fork in the road. With games against the lowly ranked Dragons, Bulldogs and Cowboys to follow, it's now or never in a year that promised so much.
For the Eels, Blues half Mitchell Moses should be jumping out of his skin to run back onto Robina for the second time in just three days, even if it's just to erase the memory of his botched kick that cost the Eels against Penrith.
Helping to ease the heartbreak of a fortnight ago, Reed Mahoney returns in a match where the two points are imperative for the Eels' top four aspirations. With the Roosters only one win away in fifth place and a draw that pits Parramatta against five of the top six sides in the run home, now isn't the week for Brad Arthur to rest on his laurels.
For the Titans, victory here would mean an end to another bad habit. Since 2017 Parramatta has dominated, cruising to victories in the last four contests by an average margin of 25 points including big wins in the past two on the Sunset Strip.
Last meeting: Round 2 2020 - Titans 6 Eels 46
Who to watch: In just his second full season, Jamal Fogarty is a late bloomer who has quickly evolved into the mainstay of the Titans' halves. Named co-captain at the start of the season, the halfback has surpassed the high-priced Ash Taylor as Holbrook's primary playmaker and front line goal-kicker. Not afraid to back himself, the 27-year-old showed his full repertoire against the Raiders with a solo try and several try assists. This week in the quest for space, his challenge will be to rev-up an Origin jaded pack.
Brad Fittler's Origin favourites are the players who back up with a strong club performance. It sets the scene for a Mitchell Moses masterclass. Up against an at times tackle-shy Titans and with nine of 13 try-assists against the bottom six sides, Moses' potency should be magnified on a slick surface where 28 tries have been scored in the last two NRL games.
The favourite: With a terrible record against the top teams, the Gold Coast at long odds to trouble the Eels.
My tip: At home on a dry track, the Titans host some of the most entertaining games in the competition. With an ability to pile on back-to-back tries, the home team are a threat to any side, but if the Eels return the favour there's little to suggest the tide will change. Parramatta by 18.
