BUNNY HOPPED
Titans fail to cash in on depleted Rabbitohs
JARROD Wallace has made an outstanding case for his Origin retention, with a herculean performance in the Titans’ 18-16 loss to South Sydney.
Shattered after a sub-par showing in the Origin I loss in Melbourne just 48 hours earlier, Wallace was in danger of losing his spot for the remainder of the series.
But with Queensland coach Kevin Walters watching on at Cbus Super Stadium, Wallace was desperate to show he deserved another chance and played accordingly.
Playing big minutes, including the entire first half, Wallace made 142m and 34 tackles as the Titans just failed to seal a much-needed win.
After heading to the break locked at 10-10, the Titans could not overcome a massive 12-4 penalty count against them, or the poor defence and handling that allowed Souths to extend a winning run at Cbus Super Stadium that extends back to 2009.
While Wallace shined, it was another front-rower who stole the limelight, with Titans captain Ryan James scoring two tries in an 80-minute effort that almost stole a win for the desperate Gold Coast.
James, just outside the frame for the Blues, sent a timely reminder to coach Brad Fittler of his ability, with 128m, 49 tackles, two linebreaks and four offloads in an effort that almost won his side the game.
The Titans captain seemed to have abandoned his straight-running ways at times last year, drifting across the field and playing almost a link role as he offloaded the ball.
But having charged over for a try from 10m out in the shadows of halftime – and another in the 61st minute – James showed he was back to the form that helped him become the most potent front-row tryscorer in the history of the game just two years ago.
With Titans lock Keegan Hipgrave sin binned twice, the Titans were out on their feet but made too many errors to seal the win.
As the NRL’s penalty-fest reached farcical levels, Hipgrave added his name to a short list of players to have been binned twice in the same match.
The feisty lock had every right to feel aggrieved after being the man to get pinged on the back of several consecutive penalties against the Titans, with the count ending up at 12-4 against the home side.
Wallace’s fellow Queensland representative Jai Arrow was also outstanding backing up just 48 hours after his Origin debut.
Arrow joined Wallace and James in gaining more than 100m.