Fifita stars for Titans as Manly miss injured Trbojevic

David Fifita has returned to his monstering best to lead Gold Coast to a 26-10 upset NRL win over a Manly side desperately missing Tom Trbojevic.

On a wet night in Sydney, Fifita entered beast mode to score one try and have a hand in another as the Titans posted their first win in three weeks.

But it didn't come easy, with Gold Coast needing to starve off a brief second-half comeback a week after giving up a 26-point lead to the Dolphins.

The result left the Sea Eagles' record without Trbojevic at 18 from 54 without the superstar fullback since the start of 2019.

With his fitness questioned all season, it was made abundantly clear how important Trbojevic is to Manly's attack as they played without impetus.

The Sea Eagles lacked finish on the Titans line and couldn't threaten out of their own end, as young replacement Kaeo Weekes failed to have an impact in the Sea Eagles' third loss of the year.

Trbojevic will return from his groin injury on Friday night against Brisbane, but Manly are at risk of losing powerhouse second-rower Haumole Olakau'atu to suspension after he was put on report for a crusher tackle and head slam.

Fellow forward Toff Sipley could also find himself in trouble, after he was sin-binned for a crusher tackle on Phillip Sami in the first half.

The Titans didn't emerge unscathed either, with AJ Brimson suffering a second hamstring injury in the past five weeks early in the second half.

But still, with pressure mounting on coach Justin Holbrook, they will walk away from 4 Pines Park relieved.

Fifita was easily their best, after his fast hands put winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira across for the Titans' first after Kieran dug into the line.

Another first-half try came when Fifita carried three men across and just got the ball to ground, before he finished with 153 metres and three tackle busts.

Foran also had a happy return to his old home ground, as his and Fifita's left-edge did the job on Manly in only his second match at Brookvale as an away player.

Fellow former Sea Eagle Brian Kelly laid on another try, when he grubber-kicked for Khan-Pereira just before the break for what threatened to be a knockout blow at 16-6.

Then, the Titans would have had fears of a repeat of last Sunday's second-half nightmare.

Daly Cherry-Evans put Manly on the front foot with a 40-20, put Sean Keppie over two plays later before the margin went down to six points following a 55th-minute penalty goal.

But when Olakau'atu was penalised for a crusher tackle on Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Tanah Boyd kicked for Sami to score moments later, those fears were extinguished before a late Jayden Campbell try sealed the match.