Gold Coast Titans host North Queensland Cowboys in Round 23 of the 2026 NRL season at Cbus Super Stadium on Thursday. Read on for our full match preview, expert NRL betting tips, and best odds on the footy this week.
These derby rivals lost their Round 22 home fixtures by a combined margin of 106 points – but it’s the still-in-contention Cowboys most under the microscope after last week’s historic loss.
FORM: The Titans’ followed up their first back-to-back wins of the season – scoring 38 points against both Manly and St George Illawarra – with a crushing 42-6 home loss to the Warriors.
The Cowboys are in disarray after a record-shattering 82-12 loss to the Roosters, which came on the back of a 3-1 run that included wins over the Panthers, Sea Eagles and Broncos.
INS AND OUTS: Zane Harrison’s season-ending injury sees Lachlan Ilias return in the Titans’ No.7 jersey. The Cowboys get Griffin Neame back from suspension, but Jeremiah Nanai has been ruled out with Kai O’Donnell coming in.
KEY MATCH-UP: Keano Kini tried hard in a steamrolled team last week, but fellow fullback livewire Scott Drinkwater’s passive display against the Roosters rightly came under a harsh spotlight.
HISTORY: The Cowboys have won their last three against the Titans, scoring 110 points in the process. They prevailed 30-16 in Townsville in Round 3.
KEY STAT: The Titans have won four of their last six against the Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium, averaging 23 points across those six encounters.
Scott Drinkwater has scored five tries in his last five games against the Titans.
VERDICT: After a week of soul-searching, the Cowboys receive an ideal opportunity to reset and get their finals bid back on track. Four of 10 teams to conceded 50-plus points in 2026 have won their next game – and Todd Payten’s chastened side is still in the thick of the Top 8 race.
The Titans took a sizeable step back last week and Harrison’s injury is a bitter blow for a team that looked to be turning a corner. With both sides taking an optional attitude to defence, the over also holds plenty of appeal in this one.
Prediction: Back Over 48.5 Total Points @ $1.90
SGM: COWBOYS WIN / BOTH TEAMS SCORE 20+ POINTS / PHILLIP SAMI ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SCOTT DRINKWATER ANYTIME TRYSCORER / HEILUM LUKI ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JOJO FIFITA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $67.78
Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys Odds & Popular Betting Markets
Here’s a quick look at the current odds and popular betting markets for the Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys matchup.
*odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change