Match centre, team lists and biggest news for the Gold Coast Titans v Sydney Roosters Round 4 NRL game

Hasler might be the hardest marker in rugby league but winger Jojo Fifita confirmed the veteran mentor had departed from tradition after the best defensive performance of his tenure.

AJ Brimson of the Titans competes during the round three NRL match between Gold Coast Titans and Newcastle Knights at Cbus Super Stadium, on March 22, 2025, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Titans coach Des Hasler has smiled at his players for the first time this year after the greatest defensive performance of his 26 games in charge on the Gold Coast.

Hasler might be the hardest marker in rugby league but centre Jojo Fifita confirmed the veteran mentor had turned his frown upside down after restricting the dangerous Newcastle Knights to a single try on Saturday.

“He was happy. It was the first time seeing him smile this year so that was good,” Fifita said.

“He was just proud we did what we trained, because you train how you play. He was just happy that we did it.”

Des Hasler and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui at the press conference following Gold Coast Titans 26-6 win over Newcastle Knights in Round 3 of the 2025 NRL season. Picture: Matt Roberts / NRL Imagery

The Titans leaked 40 points to the Bulldogs in their first game of the season last week but appeared a different team entirely in the home opener.

Fifita paid credit to the middle forward rotation, spearheaded by Queensland State of Origin representatives Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika, for applying a defensive defibrillator to their tiring teammates.

“When the boys see those big boys put on the big shots it does kind of drive them, give them a bit more energy,” Fifita said.

“When the momentum is going their way I think all the boys get that little adrenaline boost.

“It just lasted the 80 minutes that game and showed us that we can last the full 80 and not just be a one half team.”

Now in his fifth full-time season at Parkwood, Fifita said he had been impressed by how quickly the team had corrected shortcomings exposed by the Bulldogs.

Gold Coast went to work on its defence and stunned the Knights.

“I feel like we have heaps of things to work on but this was a good start,” he said.

“I know that when there’s problems that come up we can fix it in a week and it just gives us real confidence.

“The boys can’t get too ahead of ourselves. We have one win now, we’ve just got to keep playing the long game and hopefully keep building every week.”

If his playing group hold up their end of the bargain for the rest of the season then Hasler’s smile may just become permanent. Maybe.

Originally published as Match centre, team lists and biggest news for the Gold Coast Titans v Sydney Roosters Round 4 NRL game