Titans duo Preston Campbell and Luke Bailey have come through 11th-hour fitness tests and are expected to line up in their NRL clash against Newcastle at Skilled Park today.
The two experienced campaigners will give Gold Coast fans a lift after they failed to train all week.
"They got through
that session OK at this stage, they should be right," said coach John Cartwright. "We'll be a bit cautious until we get to the game and until we get them onto the field. We'll check to see how they are in the morning and if they've got no ill effects, they'll both play.
Metre-maker Bailey (ankle) and matchwinner Campbell (bruised heel) completed the full session at Skilled Park. With playmaker and skipper Scott Prince sidelined with a small hamstring tear, Campbell will slot into the key No7 jumper, where he's performed brilliantly in the past. Bailey will add some muscle up front against the Knights, who successfully turned last weekend's clash with Parramatta into a grind before snatching a win.
The stakes are higher for 12th-placed Newcastle, who kept their top-eight hopes alive with their last-gasp 6-4 win over the Eels, thanks to a magnificent 79th-minute Kurt Gidley sideline conversion.
The Titans have plenty of incentive with a victory possibly moving them into third place behind the Dragons and Penrith, both impressive winners on Friday night.
The seemingly ageless Campbell is just the man to take over from Prince and he will prove a constant threat to Newcastle's defence, which within 10 metres of the try line, is the worst in the NRL. Clashes between the two clubs stand at 3-3 and 1-1 at Skilled Park, where the Titans are so hard to beat. The last time they clashed, the Titans scraped home 38-36 in Newcastle.
Newcastle have basically stuck with the side which toughed it out against Eels. Dan Tolar will start at prop forcing Richie Faaoso to the bench while Matt Hilder will shift to lock pushing Mark Taufua to the line.
- AAP
