The Warriors tried a new tactic Sunday afternoon - playing with just 10 men - as they sought a season-ending victory over the Titans at Gold Coast Stadium.
Unsurprisingly, it didn't work, as the Titans annihilated the Warriors 44-0 to book themselves a finals berth for the first time in five years
Their 10th victory of the season and biggest win in the club's history locked in an elimination final against Sydney Roosters at Townsville next Saturday night while also snuffing out the finals hopes of Cronulla.
Doubles from David Fifita and rookie fullback Jayden Campbell lifted the Titans from 10th into eighth spot after needing to win by a minimum of 11 points.
It will be the first time the Titans have played finals since finishing eighth in 2016 when they were knocked out in week one in a 44-28 loss to Brisbane.
Marquee second-rower Fifita was again huge off the bench with a try in either half, making his tally of 17 for the season a new club record over David Mead and James Roberts (equal on 16).
But it was Campbell, son of club legend Preston, who lit up the field.
In just his sixth NRL game the 21-year-old showed no signs of the pressure the Titans were under to book a finals spot.
Brave and busy, Campbell set up the first try for himself with a dart from dummy half and later went the length of the field in broken play to score under the posts.
Although deputising for injured Queensland fullback AJ Brimson, Campbell is building a case to stay in the No.1 jersey next season.
His two tries, 222 running metres, eight tackle-breaks and try assist will do his chances no harm.
But while the Titans were celebrating it was a miserable end to a gutsy season for the Warriors who were down to just 10 players late in the game.
Emotion bubbled over with 16 minutes to play as Jazz Tevaga was sent to the sin bin for escalating a melee, Matt Lodge's late hit on Tyrone Peachey sparking a similar incident just a minute later with Lodge and Kane Evans subsequently marched from the field.
Evans in particular will be looking at more time on the sidelines for throwing punches while Lodge could face his third suspension since joining the Warriors mid-season.
Titans forward Jarrod Wallace was also sin-binned in the latter scuffle for running in to defend Peachey.
The incidents will be scoured over by the match review committee on Monday morning.
Titans hooker Mitch Rein was also placed on report for dangerous contact on Warriors fullback Reece Walsh early in the first half.
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