South Sydney have maintained their unbeaten start to the NRL season, with Cody Walker inspiring them to 28-20 win over a spirited Gold Coast.

Walker set up three of his side’s four tries on Sunday evening at ANZ Stadium, as the Rabbitohs moved into second – one of only two sides along with Melbourne to start the year 3-0.

Even without talismanic skipper Greg Inglis and after losing centre Braidon Burns to a hamstring injury in the first half, the Rabbitohs outlasted a Titans side who showed plenty of fight.

Garth Brennan’s side had a chance to win it in the final 15 minutes after tries to Brian Kelly and Anthony Don took them to within four points.

The Rabbitohs led 24-8 after Walker put in an inch-perfect chip for Campbell Graham’s second try.

The Titans set up a grandstand finish when Don scored his 68th four-pointer for the club, surpassing David Mead as the Titans’ greatest try scorer.

Gold Coast looked like they had bombed a try when Kelly flung the ball in-field five metres out. Souths Ethan Lowe gained possession, only for Don to come up with a one-on-one steal to make it 24-20.

But two late Adam Reynolds penalty goals sealed the result.

Earlier, South Sydney opened up a 10-0 lead after 21 minutes as halves Walker and Reynolds set up mirror-image tries for wingers Graham and Corey Allan respectively, both with harbour-bridge passes.

The Rabbitohs were forced into a backline reshuffle when Burns went down with a hamstring complaint and, as he was limping off the field, his Titans opposite Kelly crashed over where he would have been defending.

The Titans ensured they were in the contest at halftime when Dale Copley snatched a Damien Cook pass from the air and ran 45m to score to make it 18-8.

Despite not being able to run over the top of the Rabbitohs and remaining winless, the Titans looked a vastly improved outfit, even without key trio Ash Taylor, Tyrone Roberts and Nathan Peats.