An offside penalty within the last seconds of the primary golden level interval has given the Dolphins a simple two factors and 23-21 victory in an epic conflict in opposition to the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.
Titans ahead Erin Clark went early to place strain on a Jamayne Isaako subject objective try, and was offside, giving Isaako the sport successful penalty kick from proper in entrance.
Isaako kicked a subject objective with 5 minutes to play in common time to provide the Dolphins a 21-20 lead earlier than Titans halfback Tanah Boyd’s game-tying try three minutes later was deflected however nonetheless made it by the sticks.
MATCH CENTRE: Titans vs Dolphins, stats, scores, movies
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It was a stout defensive battle for a lot of the first half, with either side exhibiting loads of self-discipline.
The Titans would full 19/19 of their units with the Dolphins not a lot worse (18/20).
“Really controlled football from both sides,” Shane Flanagan mentioned on Fox League.
Connelly Lemuelu opened the scoring for the Dolphins within the sixteenth minute when he ran on to a stunning brief ball and located a gaping gap.
After crossing, Lemuelu celebrated by showing to mimic the worm, or “a dolphin out of water” as Flanagan described it.
“Oh they get it all wrong the Titans defence… the gap was a cavity in the Titans defence,” Andrew Voss mentioned.
“Sean O’Sullivan goes to his opposite number, double pumps and gives a beautiful little short ball to his second rower.”
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The Titans regarded to have had scored a attempt of their very own shortly after, however winger Khan-Pereira was dominated to have push reverse quantity Jamayne Isaako out of the way in which earlier than grounding the ball.
Both groups continued to commerce units and possession earlier than Kieran Foran and Alofiana Khan-Periera mixed to attain the Gold Coast’s first attempt within the twenty seventh minute in spectacular style.
Khan-Pereira made a break down the left wing after a stunning Foran cut-out cross. Khan-Pereira then put a kick excessive which was chased down by Foran after each the Dolphins fullback and winger dedicated to the Titans winger.
“The young kid on the wing, kicks for the old fella to score,” Andrew Voss mentioned on Fox League.
“He set it up with a beautiful pass over the top and then backs up through the middle part of the field and gets the kick and scores the try,” Flanagan mentioned.
“Kieran Foran well done, and Khan-Pereira with a bit of class as well.”
Foran would quickly damage the Dolphins once more with one other pinpoint lengthy ball 5 minutes later, this time discovering Phillip Sami on the opposite wing.
“He’s still got it,” Voss mentioned on Foran.
The starting of the second half was very similar to the primary, with good completion from either side.
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Titans centre Brian Kelly had a terrific likelihood to extend his aspect’s lead within the 57th minute after chasing down a wise Foran grubber however couldn’t floor the ball cleanly.
The Dolphins made the Titans pay, with three tries in 14 minutes and went out to a 20-14 lead.
Reserve playmaker Anthony Milford was influencial when getting into the sport at halftime, recording two attempt assists
Jarrod Wallace, Kenny Bromwich and Isaako went over in that span, however two missed conversions meant the Dolphins would solely carry a six level lead.
Titans centre made up for his earlier mistake with the game-tying 4 pointer which levelled the scores at 20 with 15 to play.
Isaako and Boyd traded subject targets which despatched the sport into golden level, earlier than the penalty proper on the loss of life of the primary interval gave Isaako a chip shot to win what ended up being one other entertaining conflict between the 2 Queensland rivals.
READ ON FOR OUR THREE BIG HITS…
FORAN SHOWING NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN
Titans’ veteran Kieran Foran might have ended up in a dropping aspect, however he was most likely the very best on floor after placing on a masterclass in opposition to the Dolphins.
Foran had his fingerprints on all three of the Gold Coast’s tries, scoring one and organising the opposite two.
Even his personal attempt was began by himself, after a stunning lengthy ball set Alofiana Khan-Periera free down the left edge earlier than the winger put in a chip which Foran regathered to attain.
He’s been one of many Gold Coast’s most constant performers in 2022 and the captain solely continues to guide from the entrance.
“He’s still got it,” Andrew Voss mentioned on Fox League after considered one of Foran’s attempt assists.
MILFORD SPARKS DOLPHINS’ SECOND HALF RESURGENCE
It’s been an up-and-down season for Anthony Milford, with the 28-year-old playmaker in-and-out of the Dolphins NRL aspect because of patchy kind, harm and suspension.
He returned from a 3 match ban in opposition to the Titans and began on the bench, solely seeing the sector at first of the second half.
The Dolphins would outscore the Titans three tries to at least one within the second half with Milford’s play an enormous issue.
In his 45 minutes on the park, Milford arrange two tries had two line break assists, 42 metres and a deal with bust with the Dolphins’ assault wanting rather more potent and threatening with the mix of Milford, O’Sullivan and Katoa at 6, 7 and 9 respectively.
“I knew that I needed to get him on the field (at halftime),” Wayne Bennett mentioned in his post-match press convention.
“He brings a lot, he has a lot to give us and he kind of changed that second half.
“The boys got on with him and picked up the try and brought us back into the game.
“He felt that pain of being out (suspended) and feeling like he’s letting the team down so he wanted to come back and do something good for them.”
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CAMPBELL BREAKS RECORD IN CAREER DAY
It have to be changing into more durable and more durable for the Titans to go away Jayden Campbell off the park, particularly after performances like at the moment.
The understudy for Maroons fullback AJ Brimson was all over the place for the Titans, breaking the membership file for working metres in a sport (278), 10 deal with busts; two line breaks and a line break help.
Despite his slender construct, he runs on the line and returns kicks with the willpower and toughness off a entrance rower.
“He was fantastic. JC was amazing for us at the back of the field today,” Titans interim coach Jim Lenihan mentioned.
“We ride and die together so at the end of the day we can’t put anything in our pocket for that.”
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MATCH PREVIEW
It shapes up as a vital conflict between the Titans and Dolphins with either side sitting simply exterior the highest eight because the Gold Coast aspect look to avenge a historic loss from when the 2 groups met in Round 8.
It was a story of two halves the final time these sides met, with the Dolphins miraculously working down the Titans to win 28-26 after trailing 26-0, matching the best comeback in NRL historical past.
With a win, the Titans will stay in tenth spot on the finish of Round 19 however stage with the eighth-placed Rabbitohs and ninth-placed Cowboys on 22 factors.
If the Dolphins win, they’ll solely be two factors out of the eight, however a loss would imply the NRL’s latest membership might be going through an uphill battle to play finals footy this season.
The Titans might be fielding an inexperienced ahead pack for this Queensland derby with David Fifita, Mo Fotuaika and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui all on Origin obligation.
They’ll get replaced within the beginning line-up by Jaimin Jolliffe, Klese Hass and apparently, Chris Randall.
Randall, often a reserve dummy-half, has been named to begin at prop.
This provides the chance for PNG ahead Jacob Alick to make his NRL debut off the bench.
AJ Brimson will take the suspended Reece Walsh’s spot at fullback for Queensland in Game III, which means livewire Jayden Campbell will get the possibility to excite on the again for the Titans.
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For the Dolphins, hooker Jeremy Marshall-King has been dominated out with a hamstring harm after initially being named within the beginning aspect. Second-gamer Harrison Graham will make his first profession begin at dummy-half.
Euan Aitken begins at centre with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in Origin camp with Kodi Nikorima once more at fullback after a robust exhibiting in the number one jersey in opposition to Brisbane final week.
Anthony Milford and Jarrod Wallace return from three sport suspensions however each will begin on the bench.
In a late change, Mark Nicholls will begin within the entrance with Hermen Ese’ese to now come off the bench.
Gold Coast Titans vs Dolphins at Cbus Super Stadium, 4.05pm AEST
Titans workforce: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Aaron Schoupp 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Jaimin Jolliffe 9. Sam Verrills 14. Chris Randall 11. Klese Haas 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu 10. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 15. Erin Clark 16. Jojo Fifita 17. Jacob Alick 18th man: 19. Keano Kini
Players lower: 18. Thomas Mikaele 20. Kruise Leeming 21. Ken Maumalo 22. Tony Francis
Dolphins workforce: 1. Kodi Nikorima 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Euan Aitken 4. Valynce Te Whare 5. Tesi Niu 6. Isaiya Katoa 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Jesse Bromwich 19. Harrison Graham 15. Mark Nicholls 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Ray Stone 10. Herman Ese’ese 14. Josh Kerr 16. Anthony Milford 17. Jarrod Wallace 18th man: 22. Kurt Donoghoe
Players lower: 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 18. Max Plath 20. Poasa Faamausili 21. Brenko Lee
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
