Gold Coast claim derby honours in high-scoring NRLW win

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Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos

A brilliant see-sawing game produced the highest-scoring NRLW game yet but more importantly, a loss to the Broncos as the Titans took out the first women's SEQ derby 28-26.

The Titans got off to a brilliant start, off the back of a 40/30 kick by Cobie-Jane Morgan. In the ensuing set, Stephanie Hancock just strolled through human bodies to score a powerful try Brianna Clark converted from in front.

The Titans scored again from their next set when Shaniah Power produced a great draw and pass, creating space for Hailee-Jay Maunsell who made a break down the left touchline, before she executed a perfect pass after drawing Hayley Maddick, finding Evania Pelite inside, who raced away for a great try. Clark added the extras again and after 8 minutes, the Titans lead 12-0.

The next five minutes saw the Broncos work their way back into the game and in the 14th minute, a nice passing movement started by Ali Brigginshaw eventually saw Amy Turner get a good ball to her winger and Hagiga Mosby who crashed over in the corner for a good try. Lauren brown failed to convert.

The Broncos fightback continued when Brown, at dummy half and 5 metres from the Titans line, ran left towards the posts then dumped the ball right to Chelsea Lenarduzzi who ran into a massive gap to score to the right of the posts. Brown converted.

The Titans hit back in the 30th minute after Tiana Raftstrand-Smith and Georgia Hale were both held up over the line by the Broncos defence, before Shaniah Power bashed and barged her way through 5 defenders and a goalpost to score a strong try. Kimiora Breayley-Nati converted from in front.

The Broncos then scored 2 tries in the final 3 minutes of the game to take the lead at halftime. Tarryn Aiken put Kaitlyn Phillips over for a clever try on the left side, which Brown converted and then right on halftime, off the back of a scrum, Brigginshaw sent Shenae Ciesiolka through a gap to score on the right side. Brown was unable to convert from out wide. At halftime, the Broncos remarkably lead 20-18.

The Titans opened the scoring 4 minutes into the second half when Jasmine Peters received the ball wide on the right, where she passes to Karina Brown, who recognised she had run out of space, so she ran back infield, looked around for support before passing to Peters on the wing who dived over in the corner to score.  Breayley-Nati failed to convert from touch.

In the 48th minute Aiken dived over from dummy half to score a very soft try. Brown converted to give the Broncos a 4 point lead.

With 10 mins remaining in the game, the Titans scored a brilliant try to level the scores when Karina Brown sent a no-look pass back infield as she was going into touch and surrounded by Broncos defenders. The ball landed perfectly into the waiting hands of Peters who scored. Clark was unable to convert from out wide.

With just 3 minutes left in the game, the Titans received a penalty 32 metres from the Broncos line and Brianna Clark kicked the penalty goal to give the Titans the lead and then win in a highly entertaining contest.