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IT’S the Coffs conundrum bigger than any Shark attack – how do the Titans get a result in the regions? SEE THE STATS >>>

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IT’S the Coffs conundrum bigger than any Shark attack – how do the Titans get a result in the regions?

Gold Coast’s patchwork season (five wins, six losses) reaches a critical stage on Sunday when the finals hopeful lines up against a Cronulla team sitting 13th but buoyed by a last-start win.

Fittingly the Titans’ hopes of busting its rollercoaster ride also hinges on breaking a horror run of regional results dating back to its 2007 foundation.

Titans: How it started v how it’s going

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In the 14 seasons since, Gold Coast has won just four of 21 games (19 per cent) played outside of traditional venues or cities – well down on the club’s overall win percentage of 39.

Toowoomba, Cairns, Bathurst, Mudgee, Darwin, Tamworth, Gosford and Wollongong have all proven unhappy hunting grounds for the Titans.

Cronulla’s Coffs Harbour home game at 2pm on Sunday now shapes as the next regional speed bump.

Titans centre Patrick Herbert this week admitted he’s never set foot in the mid north coast NSW town and even joked he wasn’t sure whose home game it was.

Regardless, he knows Gold Coast will face a vocal crowd.

“We played Manly out at Mudgee and they (regional fans) are really passionate supporters,” he said.

“It is going to be a good atmosphere.

“Everyone is keen to win, we’re not going to take anyone lightly.”

Every match, every replay: Watch complete Titans Cup games

Former Warrior Herbert, 24, returns after missing the past four games with a calf injury.

He brings with him hard-running backrower David Fifita who was suspended for the previous two games after a grade-two careless high tackle charge.

“Dave was bouncing around to get back out there,” Herbert said, smiling.

“Being injured is a bit different (to missing games through suspension) – mine I can’t really help.”

The Sharks welcome back five-eighth “freak” Shaun Johnson after his own two-week injury hiatus.

“We’re just going to do our best and hopefully we can get the job done (to keep him quite),” Herbert said.

“Shaun has always been a freak – he has that x-factor about him.

“But if all 13 of us do our job we can minimise what he can do.”

Originally published as Gold Coast Titans: Latest news and results from the NRL club