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Gold Coast have moved to seventh on the NRL ladder and given themselves a shot at their second finals in 12 years with a win over North Queensland.

Gold Coast can finally see the light of the NRL's finals after a methodical 36-14 defeat of North Queensland.

In a lopsided afternoon on the Gold Coast, the Titans had all the ball and spent most of the match camped on North Queensland's line.

Despite being the competition's most disappointing team of the first four months, three straight wins now leave Gold Coast seventh on the ladder with a better for-and-against than the chasing pack.

They have South Sydney and Melbourne in a tough next fortnight, before matches against Newcastle and Warriors on the run home.

But with just a sole finals match in 2016 since they went within one game of the decider in 2010, there is finally hope for Titans fans.

"We're giving ourselves a chance which is great," coach Justin Holbrook said.

"There's been a real shift from five or six weeks ago. We know the importance of the back end of the year."

Brian Kelly bagged a double while 20-year-old half Toby Sexton is playing so well in his first three NRL games he is set to keep his spot ahead of co-captain Jamal Fogarty.

Sexton again controlled the game brilliantly on Sunday and while Fogarty is now fit to return from a finger injury, he'll be forced to wait in the reserves.

"I like the stability there so I will more than likely keep it as is and Jamal will have to wait for his opportunity," Holbrook said.

"I just have to pick the best 17 for the weekend and we just get on with it. Toby defended terrific today too with Jason Taumalolo on the edge."

With 59 per cent of the ball and 70 per cent of the game played in the Cowboys' half, points were always going to come for the Titans.

The pick of the tries came when Corey Thompson broke down the left wing, grubbered and then toed ahead into the air for Taylor to score.

Another moment of brilliance came when Beau Fermor provided an out-the-back flick offload that cut-out a man for Kelly to score his second.

Fermor also bagged one of his own later in the match, while AJ Brimson, David Fifita and Patrick Herbert claimed the Titans' others.

North Queensland meanwhile are in a huge hole.

They have not won a match since late May, falling from seven to 14th with eight straight losses.

Coach Todd Payten's experiment to play Taumalolo on an edge missed the impact he desired, as the star ran 106 metres in his 80 minutes and missed four tackles.

They lost Murray Taulagi to a concussion in the opening minute before Lachlan Burr suffered the same fate in the second half.

They somehow held on to be in the game at 14-6 down at halftime, before the match got away from them after the break.

"With 93 more tackles (than your opponents) in the first half, you're pushing it uphill for the rest of the game," Payten said.

"We're yet to put in a full complete performance for a long time."