The Titans hold a shock 6-4 lead over the Panthers at halftime after thoroughly outplaying the three-time reigning premiers in the opening 40 minutes at Penrith Park.
The hosts struck first when Dylan Edwards threw a dummy, slipped a tackle and selflessly put Brian To’o over out wide in the seventh minute.
MATCH CENTRE: Panthers v Titans, teams, video, stats
But the Gold Coast hit back with some individual brilliance from fullback Jayden Campbell in the 15th minute and they were the better team from that point onwards.
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Campbell scooped up a loose ball 39 metres out then burst off the mark and bamboozled the Panthers’ defence with a sizzling left-foot step not once but twice in a matter of seconds to score under the posts untouched.
The Gold Coast have turned up to play in their last hit-out of the season and produced some bone-crunching defence that has been missing for most of the year.
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MATCH PREVIEW
The Panthers can clinch a home qualifying final when they host the Titans at Penrith Park on Saturday night.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has made just one change for his side’s final hit-out before finals, with Scott Sorensen returning from a hamstring injury.
Sorensen slots straight into the starting side, with Luke Garner shifting to the bench and Matt Eisenhuth to 18th Man.
Titans coach Des Hasler has made a raft of late changes with Jayden Campbellmoved from five-eighth to fullback at the expense of Keano Kini and Tanah Boyd comes into the halves.
Arama Hau earns a start in the second row with Klese Kaas shifted to the to bench in a late change.
The Gold Coast are without star backrower David Fifita who has been sidelined due to an ankle injury that requires surgery.
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Source Agencies
