Canberra Raiders focused as they keep NRL finals hopes alive with convincing win over Gold Coast Titans

That being said it's shaping as a massive opportunity for the Raiders against Penrith at Canberra Stadium next Saturday, where there's the potential of a crowd of more than 20,000.

The Panthers will be without their State of Origin halves - Cleary's facing a five-game ban, while Luai's out injured - and the Raiders sit just points differential behind the eighth-placed Sydney Roosters with five games remaining.

That's after not even going down to 12 men could stop the Green Machine from rolling over the Gold Coast Titans 36-24 at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Raiders star prop Joe Tapine was sin binned for throwing a punch at Titans hooker Aaron Booth, after the New Zealand international felt he'd been the victim of a cannonball tackle.

"We just need to win games of football. We're not there yet," Stuart said.

"We've got a good draw, but we haven't had these teams at the start of the year ... we might've been in the top six or top four now.

"I don't care who [the Panthers have] got playing for them and who not, and all week that'll be the talk.

"The beautiful thing about these blokes is they won't listen to it, they don't hear it ... when we focus on us we play our best football."

But the Raiders have a couple of concerns of their own with Adam Elliott (hip) unable to finish the game, while prop Emre Guler was put on report for high contact on David Fifita.

Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika was also put on report for high contact on Raiders fullback Xavier Savage.

But Stuart said Elliott could have come back on if needed and he felt he would be right to face the Panthers.

That's a massive boost for the Raiders, with Elliott again performing brilliantly before he went off with a hip flexor problem.

While most of the hype in the Raiders forward pack is justifiably around Josh Papalii and Tapine - both of whom were again brilliant - they're really going to miss Elliott next season.

Elliott's off to Newcastle in 2023, but his energetic runs through the middle have been an important part of the Raiders' rise up the ladder.

"I think it's a hip flexor, but they had him ready to go again if I needed him, but I didn't want to risk him," Stuart said.

"I don't know for sure, but I think he'll be right."

Despite the 10-minute sin bin, Tapine (173 metres) again starred and returned after half-time to score a brilliant solo try.

He carried four Titans with him across the line as he continued his climb to be arguably the best prop in the game.

There was no doubt in either Stuart or his co-captain Elliott Whitehead's minds that's the status Tapine holds.

He'll come up against fellow Kiwi James Fisher-Harris next week in a mouth-watering clash in the middle.

Canberra centre Matt Timoko scored the opening try for the visitors, before Brian Kelly hit back for the Titans.

After that, the Raiders took control with winger Nick Cotric scoring a double before half-time.

The Raiders left edge was brilliant - especially Hudson Young.

He scored a try, set up one of Cotric's with a stunning flick pass and did the same for centre Sebastian Kris, who also scored a brace.

Titans fullback Jayden Campbell scored two consolation tries as Canberra produced their highest score of the season.

Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui didn't think there was too much in the incident between Tapine and Booth.

"I think it was just a bit of frustration out there and it just got a bit heated. That's footy. It gets like that sometimes," he said.

AT A GLANCE

CANBERRA RAIDERS 36 (Nick Cotric 2, Sebastian Kris 2, Matt Timoko, Hudson Young, Joe Tapine tries; Jamal Fogarty 4 goals) bt GOLD COAST TITANS 24 (Jayden Campbell 2, Brian Kelly, Tanah Boyd tries; Toby Sexton 4 goals) at Gold Coast. Referee: Ben Cummins.

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