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The Titans and Raiders will meet on neutral ground in Sydney after the COVID-19 outbreak in Queensland caused the game to move from the Cbus Super Stadium to Kogarah.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart praised the bravery and stamina of his players in their heartbreaking loss to the Warriors and can be sure that whoever he names on Day 17 of the game will be prepared to repeat his performance.
The Gold Coast has made its first-round setback against the Warriors in the rearview mirror and will be looking to cement its status as the number one team in Queensland.
The Titans will remain in Sydney after the game on Saturday before returning to the familiar environment of the Cbus Super Stadium in the fifth round to face the Knights.
Queensland’s lockdown ended on Thursday, but the Titans will need approval from the New South Wales government for clubs to travel freely to and from Sunshine State for that game to get the go-ahead.
The summary
Team news
Titans: The Titans are 1-17. Tyrone Peachey will re-start at the lock with key recruit Tino Fa’asuamaleaui at the helix.
The Titans may have their best start to the season after four rounds in five years.
Brian Kelly won’t be back from his broken hand for a week. He and Beau Fermor were taken off the reserve list an hour before the game started after Herman Ese’ese and Sam McIntyre were left out of the team the day before the game.
Raiders: Ryan James moves to the starting side on the pillar with Josh Papalii to come off the bench. James and center Sebastian Kris approved concussion protocols after suffering blows to the head last week.
Kris will replace Curtis Scott (ribs) on the starting team.
Dunamis Lui and Hudson Young return on a push for a pack that was bruised and beaten in the heartbreaking final round loss to the Warriors.
Lui will enter as a mainstay with Ryan Sutton sliding back to block as a replacement for Joseph Tapine (ankle).
Sam Williams and Semi Valemei fell off the extended bench on game day after Caleb Aekins and Emre Guler were the two players skipped 24 hours before kickoff.
The Raiders have won their last four games against the Titans.
Key pairing
Mo Fotuaika vs. Josh Papali’i: The steer and the old bull face off in a confrontation that could shake the foundations of the rostrum. Fotuaika has already impressed in his young career, winning the club’s best and fairest award, the Paul Broughton Medal, at age 19 and winning the Origin selection in 2020.
The Raiders veteran, now in his 11th season in lime green, easily outperformed the youngster in key statistical categories such as post-contact meters, shocks and career meters in 2020 and will seek to exercise his authority from the start.
Stats attack
Both sides have shown a talent for breaking through defensive lines with the Titans tops for line breaks (20) in 2021 and the Raiders tied with the Panthers and Roosters for second place (16).
The sides are also neck-to-neck on missed tackles, with Canberra (81) ninth and Gold Coast (79) tenth, so whoever does the best job of plugging the leaks will go a long way to securing victory.
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