Terrific Titans put Raiders rabble to the sword in Canberra

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Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans

The Gold Coast Titans have equalled their club record for points scored and winning margin with a 44-6 win over the Raiders in Canberra.

Despite the lopsided scoreline it ended up being, the match started as an arm wrestle, with the Titans defence putting in a much improved showing compared to recent weeks. The Raiders were winning the field position battle, with Josh Papalii taking 18 carries inside the opening 20 minutes while offloading the ball a number of times as well. 

However, once the Titans got some momentum, they were able to take full advantage, with Ash Taylor first putting in a kick that saw Simonsson bundled into touch. In the ensuing set, David Fifita got the ball relatively flat footed but was able to power over Sam Williams and then prove too strong for Corey Harawira-Naera and Sebastian Kris to score the first try of the match.

8 minutes later, David Fifita was sent to the sin bin for making late contact on Sam Williams and the Raiders looked primed to hit back against 12 men. It wasn't to be, with Elliot Whitehead knocking on. The mistake gave AJ Brimson the chance to manufacture a try on his own, and he did so by making a break downfield to give his team momentum, before throwing a peach of a pass to put his captain Kevin Proctor over the line. 

At that point, the Raiders were only down 10-0 and had a period of 8 minutes left against 12 men. You wouldn't know it however, with the Titans again making a break downfield, this time courtesy of Ash Taylor. He was pulled down, but it counted for naught, as Moeaki Fotuaika picked and went from dummy half to score the Titans third. 

It went from bad to worse for the Green machine before the break, with Jamal Fogarty taking possession off a scrum win and pinning the ears back, burning Seb Kris and fending off Sam Williams to score a try that was in the top 3 softest of the night. The Titans lead 22-0 at half time. 

The second half picked up where the first left off, with Valemei forced to take the ball dead in the 42nd minute and give the Titans a repeat set. They took advantage, with Ash Taylor getting another try assist by grubbering for Brian Kelly, who made no mistake. 

Off the very next set, the Raiders gave away a penalty, and the Titans compounded their misery. Fogarty put in a cross-field kick on the last that Jarrod Croker tried to knock dead. The ball bounced at a 90 degree angle though, sitting up perfectly for Kevin Proctor to score his first try double since 2015. 

The Raiders were finally able to get off the mark in the 58th minute, with Jordan Rapana coming in at dummy half to put the milestone man Sam Williams over for a try in his 100th game. 

That was where the good times ended for the Raiders, with Jamal Fogarty throwing a sublime right to left cutout pass to put Phil Sami over just 4 minutes later. A try at the death to Patrick Herbert pushed the margin out to 38.

Next week, the Raiders play Manly at the newly named Four Pines Park in Brookvale, while the Titans have a bye.