The Gold Coast Titans have confirmed that Beau Fermor will be sidelined from Saturday's clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs after being ruled out with a rib injury.
Fermor sustained the injury during the Titans' latest match against the Cronulla Sharks, leaving the field in the 50th minute of the match.
The 114-game backrower has since been unable to overcome the complaint in the days since, ruling him out after he'd previously played every game of the season prior to the upcoming match.
To alleviate the loss, forward Josh Patston has been cleared to return after missing the last 11 days due to a Category 1 concussion.
Patston was forced off during the Titans' Round 24 defeat to the Newcastle Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium and was subsequently placed into the mandatory 11-day stand-down period that ruled him out of the home game against the Sharks.
His comeback adds depth to a forward pack that has had a testing run of injuries through the back half of the season, with the likes of Brock Gray and Jaimin Jolliffe out for the rest of the season, as well as backline players Zane Harrison and Jensen Taumoepeau.
Jojo Fifita is expected to return after receiving treatment mid-game on Sunday for a hip-pointer injury sustained during the loss to the Sharks.
Despite the knock, Fifita played out the remaining minutes and got through the full 80, a promising sign that has him tracking to take his place in the side again this week.
The Titans host South Sydney at Cbus Super Stadium in Round 26 of the NRL season, with Gold Coast looking to build late-season momentum against a Rabbitohs outfit that is one win away from locking their spot in the finals and features former Titans forward David Fifita.
