Finding titanic reason to lift

AFTER hitting rock-bottom last weekend, Gold Coast are out to bring some joy to their miserable 2019 NRL season against St George Illawarra today.

The Titans were belted 58-6 by the rampant Sydney Roosters at the SCG last Sunday, the nadir in a year to forget for the Queensland club.

The hits have kept coming this week with playmaker Ash Taylor (omitted) and Nathan Peats (knee) both missing the trip to take on the Dragons.

As far as interim coach Craig Hodges is concerned however, the only way is up for the last-placed Titans.

“You’d like to think it doesn’t get any worse than last week, that’s for sure,” Hodges said.

“Our training has been outstanding this week, the energy’s been really good.

“We’ve certainly got some wounds at the moment but they’re the 18 fittest guys that we could put together. We’re actually pretty excited and pretty keen to take on the Dragons.”

Mitch Rein will replace Peats at hooker while Tyrone Peachey will slot into fiveeighth in place of Taylor.

The Titans also welcome inspirational lock Jai Arrow back from his ankle injury while youngster AJ Brimson returns at fullback with Michael Gordon (hamstring) out.

The 14th-placed Dragons, having a season to forget of their own, have shifted English veteran James Graham from lock to prop for his 400th professional rugby league game.

Blake Lawrie misses out, while Patrick Kaufusi moves into the starting side and Jackson Ford is set for his NRL debut off the bench.

Both teams head into Saturday’s clash having lost 11 of their past 13 games but Hodges said he had little concern for the Dragons’ plight.

“We haven’t had time to be too sympathetic to them. We’ve got our own worries going on,” he said.