Key Highlights :
1. Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook has backed his new-look spine to do the job against St George Illawarra in round six, with five-eighth Toby Sexton and fullback Jayden Campbell starting for the first time this year.
2. Campbell, 23, replaces the injured AJ Brimson (hamstring) for Sunday's clash after coming off the interchange bench in the first four games.
3. The 22-year-old Sexton gets his first NRL game of the season after No.6 Kieran Foran succumbed to a calf injury early in the week.
4. Sexton was Gold Coast's first-choice halfback for most of 2022 but the Titans struggled. Foran's arrival from Manly meant one of the halves had to miss out, leaving Sexton plying his trade in the Queensland Cup with Tweed Heads.
5. "Toby is really excited and looking forward to his opportunity, and so he should be," Holbrook said. "He will do the job and play to his strengths.
6. He is a really good kicker of the ball and a good organiser. He's just got to play the way he knows how."
7. Campbell got an extended run at fullback last year, where he acquitted himself well, but Brimson has moved back to the No.1 jersey this season after playing in the halves in 2022.
8. Holbrook is glad to able to call on a player of Campbell's quality.
9. The Titans were poor last time they faced the Dragons, losing 32-18 in round two, and Holbrook said he was wary of a power pack well guided by skipper Ben Hunt.
10. Holbrook named new signing Kruise Leeming on an extended bench, with the coach saying the hooker was a chance to come into the 17. If the former Leeds Rhinos captain does play then back-rower Klese Haas will make way.
11. Both trained with the main squad at the captain's run on Saturday.
12. "Kruise has been really good this week. He has only been here a short amount of time," Holbrook said. "He is experienced, was captain of his club and is very crafty.
13. Chris Randall is a very solid (starting) hooker, which is what we need, and then you've got Kruise who is a lively point of difference."
With their season already on the line, the Gold Coast Titans will be aiming to bounce back when they take on the St George Illawarra Dragons at home in round three. With two young guns starting in key positions, the Titans are hoping that this will be the game that gets them back on track.
In the centres, Jarrod Wallace and Nathan Friend will be looking to get the Titans on the board early. Wallace has been in good form this season, averaging 98 metres and 18 tackles per game. Friend has also been impressive, averaging 104 metres and four tries per game. With both of these players in the centres, the Titans will be looking to put the Dragons under pressure from the start.
On the other side of the ball, the Titans will be looking to rely on their halves pairing of Nathan Peats and Ryan James. Peats has been in good form this season, averaging 143 metres and two tries per game. James has also been impressive, averaging 124 metres and one try per game. With these two players in the halves, the Titans will be looking to put the Dragons under pressure.
With both teams looking to bounce back, the Titans will be hoping that they can get the win in round three.
