LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Titans' pre-season is set to kick off on Sunday, February 17, as they eagerly look to fine tune their combinations and get valuable game time before the season opener in early March.
It's an important period for the Gold Coast squad, who will be keen to impress new coach Des Hasler before he selects his final 17 for the Round 1 clash against the Dragons.
Facing the Dolphins in week one and the major showdown against the Eels in Ipswich, these two weeks of action will be crucial for the players to stake their claim for a starting spot.
This year's competition will feature 16 teams, with premiers Penrith not taking part as they travel to the UK for the World Club Challenge against Wigan.
The scoring system in this year's pre-season challenge is unique, with a win earning a team 6 points, a draw getting them 3 points, and additional points being awarded for scoring tries, line breaks, and offloads.
The introduction of bonus points adds a new dimension to each match, ensuring that teams have something to play for even if they're trailing on the scoreboard.
With the congested ladder expected, the number of bonus points earned by each team could prove to be the deciding factor in the final standings.