Titans end Warriors hoodoo in style

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Gold Coast Titans v Warriors

The Gold Coast Titans have ended their hoodoo against the New Zealand Warriors in style with a 36-12 victory at a warm and sunny Robina in front of just over 15,000 fans,

The Titans needed to break a three game losing streak if they wanted to take victory over a Warriors side who was looking for a club record eighth away victory of the season. The home side opened the scoring when Konrad Hurrell finished a good sweep play for the Titans after just seven minutes. The try didn't come without controversy after it was sent to the bunker to check for an obstruction with a live decision of try. The bunker officials took a good look at the try and ruled that there was minimal contact by Keegan Hipgrave on Joe Vuna who fell to the ground and the try was awarded.

Scores were leveled up just five minutes later when Shaun Johnson turned on the magic with his feet when he left the Titans defence grasping at air after running the ball on the last tackle and Johnson ran through the defence to score under the posts and following his conversion scores were level. The Warriors were then under immense pressure as the Titans were able to make big metres up-field and the Warriors were struggling to deal with the warm Gold Coast conditions.

Despite having all the momentum and having their opponents under all sorts of pressure, the Titans elected to take the two points that were on offer twice with Gordon missing the first attempt then converting the second one to take the Titans lead out to 8-6. The Warriors appreciated the break of the penalty goal and were able to wrestle some of the momentum back and just after the half hour mark, the Warriors took back the lead when Karl Lawton took a dummy half run and managed to fight his way over the line and get the ball down. The conversion from Shaun Johnson was successful and the Warriors took a 12-8 lead which they took into the half time interval.

The second half became the Gold Coast Titans show as they ran in five tries to nothing in the second 40 minutes. The first try for the Titans came in just the second minute of play when some awful defence from the Warriors let Brenko Lee charging through the line before finding Anthony Don who scored and put the Titans into the lead following the conversion of Michael Gordon.

An intercept gave the Titans their next four pointer when Brenko Lee read a Jazz Tevaga pass absolutely perfectly to pinch the ball away from the Warriors and race away to score under the posts and following the successful conversion the Titans extended their lead out to 20-12. 

There would've been a few nervous moments for the Titans with the second half playing out very similar to their game last week against the Knights but today they were able to keep their composure and were able to extend their lead on the hour mark when AJ Brimson backed up a good run from Mitch Rein and despite almost blowing it, the rookie half went through to score. The Titans added another try just five minutes later when Phillip Sami turned on the footwork putting on one of the greatest steps you will ever see on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who was beaten all hands down and the Titans had gone out to a 32-12 lead with just 15 minutes to play.

The Warriors never looked close to getting back into the game and Phillip Sami's second try of the afternoon sealed the deal for the Gold Coast Titans when some good interchange of passing by the Titans beat the Warriors left defence and despite Warriors claims of a forward pass, Sami strolled over and despite a missed conversion the Titans had an unassailable 36-12 lead.

Next weekend, the Gold Coast Titans are off to ANZ Stadium on Saturday as they take on the Parramatta Eels meanwhile the New Zealand Warriors will stay in Australia as they have a tough clash up against the St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium in Wollongong also on Saturday.