There's no sugar coating from Jarrod Wallace. He knows that the Titans need to perform in front of home fans this week at Cbus Super Stadium and he expects the Gold Coast team to do just that.
"We are at that stage of the year where it is do or die for us," Wallace said.
"We need to switch it into gear and start winning some games.
"We've played some pretty good footy the last two weeks but that is where we need to take that next step to be a better team.
"We've pushed some of the best teams in Melbourne and the Roosters to the end but we didn't quite get the chocolates so we need to be better.
"There is so much room for us to improve and we're letting teams get out to a 16 point head start and then letting it go.
"We need to make sure we are playing the full 80 minutes.
"Even when we played Souths, we got to a 24 points to 6 head start and we let that go, so to be a good team we need to get out and hold in that grind footy.
"I think we are getting there but it does need to really start this week against Manly."
The Roosters jumped out to a 30 points to 4 lead, before the Titans staged a spirited fightback in the second half.
Wallace says the Gold Coast side needs to reduce the gap between its best and worst football.
"You could see in the game on the weekend we were two different sides - one in the first half and one in the second half," he said.
"Against Melbourne we did a really good job and the second half (against the Roosters) we did a good job but we need to play the full 80 minutes.
"Jimmy Dymock (Assistant Coach) hammers us every week in our defensive structures and defence principals but we need to make sure we do it for the full 80."
The former State of Origin forward is once again in the conversation around Queensland selection heading into game two.
He says while a Maroons call-up would be fantastic, he isn't worried about trying to impress selectors - instead he just wants to make sure he puts in a strong performance for the Titans.
"I think we are just really loving our footy and loving training and loving being around the group," Wallace said.
"We've got a really confident young group and if everyone is playing well it makes my job so much easier.
"I probably take too much on my shoulders at times and it can bog me down a bit, but when everyone is playing well and everyone is trusting each other to do their job and we know our role which Justin nails into us every week, it makes my job easy."
