Revitalised skipper Scott Prince says the Titans have learned from last year's deflating NRL finals meltdown and are hell bent on hitting their straps in September.

Despite suffering the double blow of losing Greg Bird (hamstring) and Michael Henderson (virus) ahead of Saturday's clash with the Cowboys, Gold Coast are confident of continuing to gather late-season momentum at Skilled Park.

The Titans can shore up a place in the top four with a fourth straight win to put them in position for a tilt at the premiership.

Playmaker Prince admitted on Friday the Coast's 2009 finals failure - when they lost to Brisbane and Parramatta after finishing third - had taught them a valuable lesson.

As a result, he stressed no one was getting carried away with the scintillating second-half display against the Eels last weekend when they came from 12-0 down to win 34-12.

"It all fell into place in the second 40 (minutes) both for the team, and me personally, and that's what we want to build on," Prince said.

"We've spoken about the position that we're in and we've been in this position last year and we fell away - we died in the backside towards the end of it.

"It's all important to gain momentum and to keep it rolling towards the business end of the season.

"You don't want to get too far ahead but we want to be peaking in October (in the grand final) and that's what it's all about."

Even without Australian and Queensland halfback Johnathan Thurston, Prince rated the Queensland derby a danger game.

"You look at the Tigers last week, the Rabbitohs had 12 players missing, and Souths put them to the sword," he said.

Titans coach John Cartwright admitted NSW forward Bird was close to returning from a torn hamstring but wasn't prepared to risk him with four matches before the play-offs.

Veteran Mat Rogers has been in brilliant form since taking over from Bird at five-eighth, prompting the Coast to make a one-year offer for the dual international to finish his career in 2011.

Cartwright said Rogers won't make his call until post-season.

"It's all put aside," he said. "Matty and I speak about this regularly but all he wants to do is win a competition and we'll deal with next year when next year comes."

With Henderson also out, Cartwright has called off-contract prop Aaron Cannings on to their bench along with back-rower Ben Ridge.

Cowboys coach Neil Henry felt Prince was back to his signature form and knows his 14th-placed team have their work cut out in negating the halfback and Rogers behind the Coast's "under-rated" pack.

But he called for his players to lift in captain Thurston's absence.

"We've got a habit of doing that before so we expect a few players to step up," he said.

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