Continuity at the selection table massive for Canberra Raiders

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has been able to pick the same 17 for the third week in a row, this time to face the Gold Coast Titans on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

A massive injury toll has meant he's had to chop and change on an almost weekly basis this season, but with just six rounds remaining before the finals he was hoping to be able to string some games together with the same group of players.

He could also welcome back several players in the coming weeks, like Emre Guler (ankle), to further bolster his squad.

"Very important. If you can keep some cohesion and continuity in your positions, and players get some consistent football and some form on the board it's a really big advantage going into the back end of the season," Stuart said on Friday.

"It really helped us last year. We didn't have a lot of change going into the end of the season last year. It was a real asset."

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Stuart's wary of a Titans team he sees as one that's on the rise.

While they've only won one of their past five games and sit 13^th on the NRL ladder, they pushed the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers, and were in the game against Cronulla until Kevin Proctor was sent off for biting.

Stuart's also sensed the mood of Raiders legend Mal Meninga, who is the Titans head of culture, improving with the performances of the Gold Coast club.

"I see the Gold Coast as a team on the up. I see them rebuilding very well," Stuart said.

"I've had that here [in Canberra] and you know the players are in a very positive frame of mind when they see there's some real movement and joy in the club itself.

"And that's the way they're playing. They're playing a very expansive brand of football where they seem to be very much enjoying the coaching of Justin Holbrook.

"I talk to Mal a fair bit and he's got a great vibe about himself in regards to the club and what they're doing there.

"I see a confident football team that are playing a good brand of football and it's going to be a very tough game."

Stuart, one of the best halfbacks of all time, was especially concerned about the Gold Coast playmakers - halves Ashley Taylor and Jamal Fogarty, and fullback AJ Brimson, who the Raiders tried to lure to Canberra.

"I think their attack - the way their two halves play, they play very expansively," Stuart said of their dangers.

"Their fullback Brimson is a very, very smart young player who's got a lot of speed and attacking flair.

"They score long-range tries and I said last week against the Broncs we've got to be good defensively and I can say it every week because I believe you've got to be a very good defensive team to win big games and do well in the competition.

"So defensively we've got to be on again."

They'll be going up to foreign conditions on the Gold Coast, where a top of 22 degrees is forecast - a far cry from the arctic, wet weather in Canberra this week.

Stuart decided to cancel training on Wednesday afternoon because it was so different to what awaits.

"We actually cut the sessions short because we weren't getting a lot of quality out of it," he said.

NRL ROUND 15

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans at the Gold Coast, 3pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Jordan Rapana, 3. Jarrod Croker (c), 4. Curtis Scott, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. George Williams, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Siliva Havili, 10. Dunamis Lui, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Hudson Young. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Joe Tapine, 16. Ryan Sutton, 17. Corey Harawira-Naera. Reserves: 19. Harley Smith-Shields, 21. Matt Frawley.

Titans squad: 1. Alexander Brimson, 18. Corey Thompson, 3. Brian Kelly, 4. Young Tonumaipea, 5. Phillip Sami, 6. Ashley Taylor, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Jarrod Wallace, 9. Nathan Peats, 10. Jaimin Jolliffe, 17. Sam Stone, 12. Keegan Hipgrave, 13. Moeaki Fotuaika. Interchange: 14. Tyrone Peachey, 15. Sam Lisone, 16. Beau Fermor, 20. Jai Whitbread. Reserves: 19. Tanah Boyd, 21. Erin Clark.