Manly coach Geoff Toovey says the NRL premiers can’t afford to take Gold Coast lightly as they look to secure a top-four finish and a second chance during the finals.
Defeated by the Titans at Brookvale in round seven when they arrived having won just one of their opening six games, Toovey knows all too well the dangers that Gold Coast will present at Skilled Park on Saturday night even if they are no longer in finals contention.
Manly need to beat the Titans to secure a berth in the top four, which would take the Sea Eagles out of a sudden-death game in the opening week of the finals.
“We don’t want to be travelling anywhere and having a knockout against a quality side,” Toovey said as his team prepared to board a flight to the Gold Coast on Friday.
“If we can have that second chance and stay in the top four, that’s very important.
“I think they (the Titans) are a slim chance mathematically if you go down that path.
“I’m sure they’ll want to go out on a high note up there on the Gold Coast in front of their home fans.
“It’s going to be a tough game – we need to be focused, we need to be switched on because we definitely want to remain in that top four.”
Toovey said co-captain Jason King would be a definite starter after overcoming the shoulder injury which kept him out of last week’s win over Brisbane.