- 1 Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs: a finals spot to lock in on the Gold Coast
- 2 Gold Coast Titans: a broken run and a squad still in flux
- 3 South Sydney Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell’s return comes at the right time
- 4 NRL Prediction Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information moves fast
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible play first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the visuals…
Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs: a finals spot to lock in on the Gold Coast 
South Sydney head into round 26 in seventh, sitting in the most precarious part of the table. A win on the Gold Coast seals a finals place for the first time since 2022.
Lose, and they will be left sweating on results elsewhere across the weekend. The picture is clear enough for the Rabbitohs.
The Titans arrive with a very different brief. Sitting 16th, they have nothing left to defend in the standings, but they can still rack up points when they get going.
The head-to-head has been a nightmare for the Titans.
South Sydney have won the last 10 meetings with Gold Coast and boast a crushing 93% success rate at home, while the Titans are stuck at 43% on their own patch.
These clashes tend to turn into an open, high-scoring shootout.
With an average of 51.6 points per game, the entertainment is usually there, but the balance is not: only one of the last five meetings finished within 14 points, with an average margin of 19.6.
That dominance is backed up by the season numbers. More dangerous with the ball, the Rabbitohs average 27 points a game compared with 19 for the Titans.
The gap is tighter on defence, but South Sydney still have the edge, conceding 24 points a match to Gold Coast’s 27.
Their season did show real signs of life with wins over the Panthers in round 16, the Sea Eagles in round 20 and the Dragons in round 21. That run briefly put Josh Hannay’s project back on track.
Then came four straight defeats, wiping out that progress and sliding the club from 13th to 16th. Last week’s loss to the Sharks only underlined how fragile things are right now.
Kick-off is set for Saturday 29 August at 15:00 AEST at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast. It will be the Titans’ first of their final two home games of the season.
History at the venue, though, is brutal. The Titans have not beaten South Sydney at Cbus Super Stadium since 2009.
Gold Coast Titans: a broken run and a squad still in flux 
Four defeats in a row and three places dropped in the table: there is no spinning the Titans’ recent slide. The group finally seemed to be building something, then it all fell apart.
Wins over Penrith, Manly and St. George Illawarra show the talent is there. The issue is consistency, not capability.
The only change this week comes in the back row. Beau Fermor is out after taking a rib injury against the Sharks.
Josh Patston comes in for him and returns to the squad after missing the last game with concussion. The rest of the 19-man group is unchanged.
Phillip Sami remains the club’s most reliable attacking threat. The winger has scored 10 tries in his last 11 games, a return that stands out in a team short on wins.
Jojo Fifita gives them another outlet, with six tries in his last eight appearances at Cbus Super Stadium. Gold Coast can score on their home turf.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, though, has to get them moving through the middle if those outside threats are going to matter. Without that platform, the Titans spend too long on the back foot, which is exactly what has cost them over the last four defeats.
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South Sydney Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell’s return comes at the right time 
Seventh place with two rounds left leaves South Sydney with no excuse. Win, and they’re in. The opponent could hardly have been kinder.
This fixture has been one-sided for years. Ten straight wins over the Titans is not a fluke.
The big news this week is Latrell Mitchell, named at No. 19 after 12 games out. He has been back from nerve issues in the lower back that were affecting his leg and calf.
Jamie Humphreys, who has been carrying an ankle problem, and Adam Elliott, who is dealing with a groin issue, are also on the interchange. The bench has some much-needed depth again.
Jai Arrow is named co-captain and will play his 99th game for the club. He will take the field for the opening seconds only, a move repeated from round 27 to get him to the 100-game mark.
Alex Johnston remains the real try-scoring menace in this matchup. The winger has crossed 10 times in his last six games against Gold Coast.
Cody Walker and Jayden Sullivan just need to control the ball and set the tempo. Against a defence that has leaked heavily over the last four rounds, patience should be enough to open things up.
Probable Gold Coast Titans line-up: Kini; De Groot, Fifita, Brimson, Sami; Campbell, Ilias; Haas, Pascoe, Fa’asuamaleaui, Patston, Morrin, Bai. Bench: Fotuaika, Randall, Sharpley, Sommerton.
Probable South Sydney Rabbitohs line-up: Dufty; Johnston, Duncan, Wighton, Graham; Walker, Sullivan; Tatola, B. Smith, Koloamatangi, Fifita, Aitken, Arrow. Bench: Murray, Gray, Hubner, Keppie.
NRL Prediction Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Our pick: South Sydney Rabbitohs to win with a -6.5 points handicap
Ten wins on the spin against this opponent and no loss at Cbus Super Stadium since 2009: South Sydney’s grip on this fixture is well established. Backing them outright leaves no room for error.
The numbers only strengthen the case. The Rabbitohs are chasing a finals berth and get Latrell Mitchell back, while the Titans come in on the back of four straight losses with nothing left to play for in the table.
Alex Johnston, who has scored 10 tries in his last six meetings with Gold Coast, remains the likeliest man to stretch the gap. South Sydney should win by seven points or more.
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