The Gold Coast return to Cbus Super Stadium desperate for a victory over the Roosters to turn their mid-season wobbles around.
After an encouraging start to the year, they have suffered losses in three of their past four outings - beating the last-placed Bulldogs while going down in disappointing fashion to Penrith, Cronulla and Melbourne.
The Roosters will be refreshed by their bye last round and have managed to maintain fifth spot on the Telstra Premiership ladder in recent weeks despite encountering a heavy injury toll.
Before the bye they bounced back from an upset loss to Brisbane by beating the Raiders 44-16 in Gosford thanks to a superb performance by Joey Manu.
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The rundown
Team news
Titans: AJ Brimson is out after a review following Origin. Jayden Campbell comes in at fullback for his second NRL match.
Origin stars David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui will come off the bench with Sam Stone and Sam McIntyre in the starting pack. Esan Marsters is the 18th man.
Prop Moeaki Fotuaika will miss the match after copping a one-match ban for a dangerous contact charge arising out of Origin I. Jaimin Joliffe moves into the starting side at prop.
Jai Whitbread, Anthony Don (hip) and Mitch Rein (shoulder) dropped out of the initial extended squad.
Roosters: James Tedesco and Siosiua Taukeiaho is out of the side. Tedesco failed a fitness test on Saturday morning on the hip pointer injury he sustained in Round 12, which was exacerbated in Wednesday's State of Origin I win.
Joseph Manu will move to fullback with Joseph Suaalii coming into the starting side at centre, while Fletcher Baker will line up at prop.
Adam Keighran starts at hooker with Ben Marschke to come off the bench.
Ben Thomas joins the interchange and Brad Abbey is 18th man.
Isaac Liu has been included after a nasty eye injury in round 12, while Sam Walker is back in the No.7 jersey after being rested.
As well as Taukeiaho, Tuku Hau Tapuha was left out 24 hours before kick-off.
Veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will play his 250th NRL game.
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Key match-up
Sitili Tupouniua v Kevin Proctor: The rival second-rowers have been among their respective team's best performers all season.
Tupouniua has risen to the fore with Boyd Cordner sidelined all season so far, his line breaks on the edge leading to several tries, while Proctor has been a rock for the Titans in what has been a turbulent 2021 campaign.
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Stat attack
The Roosters have managed to keep pace with the contending teams despite being the most penalised team in the NRL. They have conceded 66, two clear of the Titans and Bulldogs as the next-most penalised outfits.
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