Gold Coast Titans have signed off a miserable 2022 season in style with a 27-26 Golden Point win against New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors will wonder how they lost this one. They led by 14 with under ten to go before tries to Jayden Campbell and Paul Turner alongside two wonderful kicks from Tanah Boyd gave the visitors the two points.
New Zealand Warriors have been a much better side at home, and it showed in the first half. Reece Walsh was the architect as Jesse Arthars and Josh Curran crossed in the first ten minutes for a 12-0 advantage.
Dallin Watene-Zelesniak added to their advantage with another magical putdown for the winger who has been one of the highlights in a forgettable season for the Warriors led 16-0 and on course to sign off in style.
Titans pulled one back through one of their stars late in the season. Five-eighth AJ Brimson produced a stunning solo effort to get the Titans on the board and
The hosts restored their 14 point lead just before the break. Josh Curran has been a consistent performer for the New Zealand side in the 2022 season and won the race to the ball in-goal to make it 20-6.
Titans were back within eight just after the break through Beau Fermor. The second rower was alert to the ball after a kick was tapped back and finished off the move to make it 20-12 in a game that started to warm up.
It looked like the Warriors were going to cruise to ending their season on a high when Villiame Vailea. The centre was a late inclusion to the team and strode through some feeble defence from the scrum to make it 26-12.
There was a final twist left in the tale. Campbell stepped past the defenders in the 73rd minute to give them a faint whisper of hope which turned into a loud roar when former Warrior Paul Turner was supporting inside to make it 26-24.
Campbell was involved again as he was clipped high in the final minute. Tanah Boyd stepped up and slotted the penalty goal in a perfect afternoon from the boot and sent this game into extra time at 26-all.
Warriors had the first chance through Daejarn Asi whose field goal was well wide. Campbell had an effort charged down then Boyd drilled his one from 40 metres out to secure an improbable win for the Titans in New Zealand.