The Gold Coast Titans stopped a three-game losing streak beating the Wests Tigers 28-12 with a good win on a rare Thursday night at CBUS Stadium, in a game where Wests Tigers lost more than the match.
Result
Gold Coast Titans 28
Tries: (5) Alexander Brimson 10th; Klese Haas 26th; Jayden Campbell 33rd; Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 57th; Phillip Sami 60th
Goals: (4) Tanah Boyd 28th, 34th, 58th, 62nd
Wests Tigers 12
Tries: (2) David Klemmer 19th; Jahream Bula 64th
Goals: (2) Brandon Wakeham 21st, 67th,
Report
The Gold Coast had the early running in the first 10 minutes with multiple sets on the back of forced drop-outs and Tigers errors, and the pressure eventually led to points in the 10th minute when AJ Brimson sliced through the Tigers’ defence out wide from a scrum. The conversion missed and the Gold Coast had the early lead 4-0.
Ten minutes later the Tigers had their own sustained period at the Titans, and they turned it into points with lively prop David Klemmer crashing over close to the line and the posts. The easy conversion saw the Tigers hit the front 6-4. Not long after the try it was confirmed that Api Koroisau had suffered a broken jaw. Bad news for the Tigers and NSW Blues. He sustained it while trying to tackle Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, and the Titans prop may well be in trouble for that due to a leading forearm.
The Gold Coast retook the lead before the half-hour mark when Tanah Boyd set up Klese Haas to force his way over from 10 metres for his third try of his fledgling career. The Titans then extended their lead in the 34th minute when AJ Brimson laid on the perfect grubber for the speedy Jayden Campbell to win the race and score. Tanah Boyd converted both tries for a 16-6 lead.
An entertaining end to the half saw each side with a chance for a length-of-the-field try in the final minutes before the break.
The first part of the second half saw both sides with enough ball and opportunities to score, but were let down with poor last tackle options and errors for the Tigers, and errors and penalties for the Titans.
Eventually it was the home side who broke through for the first try of the second half in the 57th minute – it was Fa’asuamaleaui who powered through a large gap close to the line. Boyd converted to extend the lead to 22-6.
Not long after the Gold Coast went further ahead when Phillip Sami scored on the play after Jayden Campbell set up the field position with an 80-metre intercept. The conversion pushed the score out to 28-6, and more bad news for the Tigers (or not -according to some fans) when Luke Brooks left the field with a hamstring injury.
A few minutes later, and following an all-in melee, the Wests Tigers hit back with a try to Jahream Bula. It was a determined effort from the Tigers fullback, with a jinking solo run from 40 metres that included a fend on Fa’asuamaleaui no less, and heavy pressure as he rolled over to score. The conversion reduced the score to 28-12.
That try could have inspired the Tigers to finish the game like the previous round against the Raiders, but the errors and poor fifth tackle options cost them badly. In fact neither team were overly impressive in the last 15 minutes and the score remained 28-12.
A good win for the Titans, and it sees them keep pace with the edges of the top eight in a very compact and competitive ladder. It may have also helped Moeaki Fotuaika’s chances of playing for Queensland in the second Origin game.
For the Wests Tigers they not only lost on the scoreboard but will now count the cost of losing two of their key players in Koroisau and Brooks. It also halts any momentum they had from the huge win over the Cowboys and the sizzling finish to their last round clash against Canberra.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans)
2 – Jayden Campbell (Titans)
1 – AJ Brimson (Titans)
