Retired international Mat Rogers says underrated hooker Nathan Friend is the man to rescue the Gold Coast's NRL season, not him.

The Titans head to Canberra this weekend knowing a fourth straight loss would make it almost impossible to win the premiership according to the history books.

Coach John Cartwright has tried a number of options since Rogers retired, including former Souths utility back Luke Capewell, utility super-sub Preston Campbell and last week against Brisbane, Greg Bird in the No.6.

Rogers said a week was a long time in rugby league, suggesting the industrious Friend was the missing link.

"He'll be back in a week or two and he'll add a lot to the team," said Rogers, dismissing talk of a comeback.

"One week can change a lot, look at the Sharks, they've had a couple of good wins after round one and they're on top of the world.

"Watching Friendy play last year and playing with him for the last few years he adds as much value as Princey (Scott Prince) if not more.

"The game is so dominated around the ruck, you take a guy out who is running the show from No.9 and it makes a huge impact on your side."

Rogers said Friend generated as many tries as Prince and when he wasn't around it all fell on Prince's shoulders.

"When they're both there, one can be a bit up and one can be a bit down or vice versa," he said.

"If you remember the year after the Tigers won the comp (2005) and Robbie Farah was injured, they were a different side without him.

"The influential players in the game now, a lot of them are hookers, Cameron Smith, Robbie Farah and Michael Ennis, guys who do a lot of work around the rucks, that's where the game is driven from.

"Riley Brown is doing a good job at dummy half, but it's bloody hard to compete with a guy like Friendy."

It was suggested last weekend that Rogers should be coaxed out of retirement.

"No way, life's too good," laughed Rogers who was videoing his 11-year-old daughter dancing when asked about the comeback talk.

"I've got four kids and doing things like this is important to me."

Rogers could have played on this year.

"It wasn't that the body wouldn't let me," he said.

"I just didn't want to any more.

"At the end of the day you can't play in that league if you don't really want to. It's just too hard."

Cartwright, who has stuck with Bird at five-eighth, has named 21 year-old Ben Ridge to replace injured lock Ashley Harrison (hamstring).

A first year electrical apprentice, Ridge has played four NRL matches since making his debut for the Titans against the Dragons last season.

He hails from the same Queensland town as his childhood hero, Darren Lockyer.

"He's a strong young boy who's going to play a lot of first grade for us," said Cartwright.

"Whether that's this year or in the years to come, he's someone we see as a big part of our future.

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