2021 NRL Round Seven, Titans 30 Rabbitohs 40 – Report

Jack Harbidge reviews the round seven clash between the Gold Coast Titans and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at CBUS Super Stadium. Here’s how the game went.

SCOREBOARD

Player of the Year Points

Embed from Getty Images

3 pts – Benji Marshall (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
2 pts – David Fifita (Gold Coast Titans)
1 pt – Alex Johnston (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

MATCH REPORT

Embed from Getty Images

1st Half

The Titans and Rabbitohs kicked off in front of a raucous Gold Coast crowd at Cbus Super Stadium and David Fifita answered their encouragement just two minutes in with a tremendous solo effort through the middle to put the Titans up 6-0.

Fifita continued to terrorize the flailing South Sydney defence, which offered very little to stop the star man’s aggressive carries. They could, however, produce some scintillating attack of their own and pegged back the Titans’ lead with Joseph Paulo getting on the end of a Campbell Graham kick to score down the right edge.

Souths managed to maintain the pressure following their opening try, and crossed again through Cody Walker after being gifted field position by an illegal ball strip from Kevin Proctor. Souths’ lead lasted for all of 10 minutes though, with Fifita grabbing his second try of the game and breaking seven tackles in the process.

Fifita continued to dominate and crossed again – this time off the back of a great offload from Brian Kelly – just two minutes after and Gold Coast looked to be going into half-time eight points ahead. The scoring wouldn’t stop there, however, and the Gold Coast bagged a length-of-the-field try on the stroke of half-time.

HALF-TIME: Gold Coast Titans 24 South Sydney Rabbitohs 10

Embed from Getty Images

2nd Half

The Cbus Super Stadium crowd were treated to an even more points-packed half than the first. With defence clearly considered optional for all players, Souths made good use of four early Six Again calls to open the scoring in the second half through Dane Gagai and then consolidate their opener with Benji Marshall crossing off the back of a Keaon Koloamatangi linebreak.

Now just trailing by two, Souths continued to put pressure on the Titans and forced a ruck infringement from Jarrod Wallace for Adam Reynolds to convert with ease and level the scores. Marshall was in a points-scoring mood and continued his attacking clinic, sending Alex Johnston over with an amazing offload to put Souths in the lead for the second time in the game.

After conceding 20 unanswered points, Gold Coast managed to a get a foothold in the second half and battled back for the following 10 minutes. The home side were finally rewarded for their efforts with Tyrone Peachey taking advantage of the Rabbitohs’ defence straight from the base of the ruck at close range. After some handbags from both sides following the try, Jamal Fogarty converted and the scores were level.

After Souths surrendered the lead, Marshall produced yet more magic to put Johnston through the line and supported to score his second try of the day. Marshall’s game-breaking play proved to be the decisive one, with Reynolds taking advantage of two infringements from Moeaki Fotuaika with penalty goals to extend the final margin to 10 points.

FULL-TIME: Gold Coast Titans 30 South Sydney Rabbitohs 40

Injuries

Patrick Herbert (Titans) – calf
Sam Lisone (Titans) – pec

Match Review Committee

Moaki Fotuaika (Titans) – Grade 1 Dangerous Contact Other – Early Plea $1350 fine.

Follow Nothing But League on Twitter and Facebook.