Gold Coast have been spooked by the boot of Mitchell Moses, falling 36-12 to Parramatta to ensure their NRL season sinks to a new low.
The league’s try-assist leader’s tally grew by three to 29, with a trio of kicks creating the decisive buffer on the Gold Coast as the Eels assured their finals spot with three rounds to play.
The visitors also kept alive their top-four hopes but defeat meant a club-worst eighth-consecutive loss for the Titans – all but assured of their second wooden spoon.
Two Moses bombs and a grubber seemed to have an otherwise improved Titans defence spellbound, with the hosts either spilling their efforts to catch or not attempting at all.
Shaun Lane was the benefactor of the latter, allowed to catch a bomb unchallenged five metres out before burrowing over.
No.7 Moses darted down the right side to put Maika Sivo away for his 17th try of the season and a 24-6 lead.
He had a hand in the Eels’ fifth try, offloading to Manu Ma’u who found Waqa Blake with a brilliant flick pass to bury the contest with 20 minutes to play.
Earlier, Daniel Alvaro scored his first try in almost two years, Brad Takairangi palming back a bomb that eventually found the bustling forward.
Alvaro was promoted to start when Junior Paulo (ankle) was scratched late, while the Titans also shuffled their pack with Jarrod Wallace missing after the mid-week birth of his daughter.
Former NSW State of Origin hooker Nathan Peats started at lock as a result and proved effective alongside No.9 Mitch Rein as the pair combined for 47 first-half tackles.
That allowed them to steady despite Moses’ constant aerial threat and Brian Kelly’s try meant it was 12-6 at the break.
But Lane’s soft try quickly turned the contest in the Eels’ favour. It capped a turbulent week during which the forward was investigated by the NRL after photos emerged of him appearing to hold a plastic bag containing a white substance.