Coast is leaving hurt in locker
IT’S HARD to put the Titans puzzle together when all the pieces keep getting bent out of shape but Garth Brennan’s side are making it work.
In the dance of the desperates, the hosts were hungrier and posted 26 unanswered points over the Knights before running out 38-14 victors to go back to back for the first time since Round 15-16 2018.
Just when Gold Coast’s injury-riddled season looked like easing up, the rugby league gods deemed fit to lay Kevin Proctor low during the warmup and add skipper Ryan James to the casualty ward after a 12th minute knee injury.
The duo joined Jarrod Wallace (suspension) and Nathan Peats (pectoral injury) on the sidelines, sparking yet another reshuffle in the Titans pack and yet another selection headache for next weekend.
But that headache can wait, especially given the manner in which Gold Coast resurrected their season on Easter Sunday.
It wasn’t the most polished performance in history but the Titans out-enthused Newcastle and took their opportunities when it mattered.
Up 2-0 after an early Michael Gordon penalty, Gold Coast suddenly found themselves ahead by eight after a Knights error saw Mitch Rein spark a counter-attack finished by Philip Sami in the corner.
Their second try came in similar fashion when Daniel Saifiti coughed it up in contact and Brimson had the presence of mind to swing it to halves partner Roberts, who sliced back infield and under the sticks for the easiest of tries.
Roberts also played a crucial hand in setting up Brian Kelly’s 37th minute try after forcing consecutive dropouts and would’ve entered the halftime sheds as the Titans’ best aside from Shannon Boyd, who moved mountains in the absence of regular metre eaters James, Proctor and Wallace.
Newcastle’s errors continued after the break and when Dale Copely fed Anthony Don for his 71st career try, the Titans looked home.
A late flurry saw Newcastle close the gap to 28-14 but two more tries, to Tyrone Roberts and Michael Gordon, put the result beyond doubt.