Parramatta coach Brad Arthur expects Gold Coast's off-field turbulence will fire up the Titans for their NRL clash at ANZ Stadium, but he won't have to worry about former Eels hero Jarryd Hayne.
Hayne, who is reportedly at odds with coach Neil Henry, has been ruled out of Thursday's game due to an ankle injury.
The Titans board are understood to be considering axing at least one of the pair.
It would have been Hayne's first game against Parramatta, the club he served for nine seasons.
Arthur said he had a good relationship with Hayne when he coached him, but wouldn't be drawn on whether Parramatta would try to bring him back if he became available.
"He's a Gold Coast Titans player and we don't make comment on players at other clubs," Arthur said on Wednesday.
It would appear a far-from-perfect preparation for the Titans, who have lost their past four games and won three of 10 on the road this year.
However, Arthur, who endured a fair bit of off-field turmoil at Parramatta last year, tipped the Titans troubles to galvanise them on Thursday.
"(The Titans) will be fired up and they will be ready to play," Arthur said
Arthur's main priority is getting his side back on track after a shock loss to last-placed Newcastle.
"It was a bit of a wake-up call, an attitude readjustment for us going in to this weekend's game," Arthur said.
A win on Thursday would put Parramatta into fourth spot for at least 24 hours, but Arthur wasn't getting caught up in the late season scramble for ladder positions.
Fullback Bevan French is back in the Parramatta side after missing last week's game with hamstring tightness.
Hayne's unavailability will also force a change at fullback for the Titans, with the versatile Tyrone Roberts a potential candidate.
Roberts has been listed at five-eighth, with Kane Elgey dropped from that position to the bench, though the latter might now earn a reprieve.
Key stats
*The Titans' record against Parramatta is their best against any other NRL team, winning 11 of 16 matches.
*Gold Coast have won the last two matches between the teams, overturning a 12-0 deficit in their last clash in round three to win 26-14.
* A defeat on Thursday will be Gold Coast's fifth in a row, making it their outright longest losing streak of the season.
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