Match-winner Darren Lockyer was within minutes of pulling out of Brisbane's NRL clash but played on and his genius eventually sank the Gold Coast's season 25-21 in extra-time at Suncorp Stadium.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett revealed after the tense victory that he had deliberately not told his players their inspirational skipper was ill.

Lockyer only took the field after an injection settled his upset stomach.

Bennett said he hadn't coached a tougher player, mentally, than Lockyer who also beat the Gold Coast last year with a 45-metre field goal.

Lockyer backed up to kick a 77th minute field before setting up the final try for Greg Eastwood in the fourth minute of golden point play after his field goal option was shut down by the charging Titans.

Instead, Lockyer dummied and linked up with centre Joel Moon before getting the ball back and delivering the final pass the Eastwood.

"I didn't tell the players," said Bennett who took the precaution of bringing in a stand-by player at lunch time.

"It was bad enough myself when they rang me at midday," added Bennett.

"I didn't want to share my misery.

"I thought of all the players, why did you ring me and tell me about him.

"Why didn't you ring and tell me about someone else ..... not him.

"I couldn't go into that change room and say to those guys 'Lockyer's not playing tonight's after he trained with them yesterday fit and healthy."

Hooker Michael Ennis said he knew something was wrong with Lockyer in the change room before the game.

"He usually comes in and says hello but .... he didn't say anything to me and just got ready and away he went."

Team doctor Matt Hislop confirmed Lockyer was a sick man.

"He woke up feeling crook last night with an upset stomach and had an injection to help with the nausea and vomiting," said Hislop.

"He was pretty flat at the start of the day and querying whether he would be right to play.

"It was pretty touch and go right up to the last minute to be honest."

The Gold Coast led 14-6 at half time on the back of a glut of possession and 50-50 calls that all seemed to go their way.

The Titans, whose season was on the line, trailed 20-14 midway through the second half but got back to 20-20 when centre Josh Graham cashed in on a Scott Prince bomb in the 67th minute.

Lockyer's field goal made it 21-20 in the 77th minute before Prince again tied it up 21-21 with a 32 metre field goal one minute from the end.

"Class got us in the end," said Prince who was again outstanding despite playing with his arm heavily padded.

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