In a game for the script writers, Brisbane centre Justin Hodges returned from 585 days in NRL exile to deliver a knockout blow and keep the Gold Coast win-less in 2011.

Gold Coast centre Steve Michaels had scored a brilliant individual try against his former club on the stroke of halftime which looked to have set the Titans on the road to victory.

But Hodges' 71st minute try broke an 8-8 deadlock and sealed a 14-8 win for the Broncos.

Hodges had not played a game since Brisbane's exit from the 2009 finals.

He ruptured his Achilles in November 2009, missing the entire 2010 season and suffered a hamstring injury in the pre-season trials to further delay his comeback.

After conceding a stripping penalty which allowed Titans halfback Scott Prince to lock the scores up with 10 minutes remaining, Hodges redeemed himself, reminding fans of his match-winning abilities by fending off tackles by Greg Bird and Esi Tonga to score the crucial try.

Earlier, the Titans led 6-0 after Michaels scored on the halftime siren.

Michaels broke away down the left side, kicked ahead and beat Brisbane defender Gerard Beale, whose efforts to stop the try were spoiled by a horror bounce which favoured Michaels.

Two big calls went against the Titans which cost them dearly.

The first was when referee Gavin Badger ruled forward Anthony Laffranchi had been held up after smashing his way through halfback Peter Wallace and forward Matt Gillett from dummy half in the 31st minute.

Video referee Russell Smith had several looks at the replay before flashing up "refs call".

The second was just after halftime when Prince was denied after officials ruled a knock on in a challenge for his bomb between rivals Jharal Yow Yeh and Tonga.

Both calls looked 50-50.

Brisbane lost fullback Josh Hoffman late in the first half to a lower leg injury while Titans forward Ashley Harrison failed to finish the game after what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin said the win was full of character and would only help the players' confidence.

Asked to name the best part he said: "The full time hooter."

Skipper Darren Lockyer said Hodges had called for the ball from the scrum before scoring the match-winner late in the second half: "It was vintage Hodges, wasn't it?

"He wanted the ball from the scrum even though there were three defenders on his side."

Titans coach John Cartwright said his players had picked things up after last week's humiliating 40-12 loss to the Storm.

"We controlled the play the ball better and we hustled a lot harder," he said.

"We had three tries disallowed, just one could have made the difference.

"They came up with one great play (Hodges's try) that put them in front. That's why those guys get the big dollars."

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