GOLD COAST TITANS 14 BRISBANE BRONCOS 26 
TOM SMITH, Cbus Super Stadium, Sunday

REECE WALSH starred again for the Broncos as they swept aside their south-east Queensland rivals in the last game of round 19. 

The live-wire fullback set up a try and scored another to help Brisbane repel Gold Coast’s second-half surge and cement their top-eight berth. 

Michael Maguire, coaching his 250th NRL game, brought back Ben Hunt from a lengthy hamstring lay-off. 

The under-fire Des Hasler also recalled David Fifita for his first game since round eight. 

Adam Reynolds and Jayden Campbell traded penalty-goals in a low-scoring start to the derby, during which Brendan Piakura copped a head knock attempting to score. 

Ben Talty – the mid-season recruit only brought onto the bench because prop Payne Haas failed to back up from Origin – eventually became the unlikely first try-scorer 34 minutes into the first half. 

Then on the end of a Kotoni Staggs charge, Walsh sent Jack Gosiewski away. 

Walsh backed up Staggs for another thrilling long-range try soon after the restart to give the visitors a commanding lead. 

But then Jojo Fifita struck twice in nine minutes – grounding an AJ Brimson kick and supporting a Chris Randall bust – to put Gold Coast within a converted try. 

However, Billy Walters’ dart from dummy-half gave the Broncos enough points to defend.

TITANS: 1 AJ Brimson, 2 Jaylan De Groot, 3 Brian Kelly, 4 Jojo Fifita, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 Kieran Foran, 7 Jayden Campbell, 8 Moeaki Fotuaika, 9 Sam Verrills, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Chris Randall, 12 Beau Fermor, 15 Jaimin Jolliffe. Subs: 13 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 16 David Fifita, 17 Klese Haas, 20 Alofiana Khan-Pereira (not used) 

Tries: J Fifita (48, 57); Goals: Campbell 3/3 

BRONCOS: 1 Reece Walsh, 2 Josiah Karapani, 3 Kotoni Staggs, 4 Gehamat Shibasaki, 5 Deine Mariner, 6 Ezra Mam, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Xavier Willison, 9 Ben Hunt, 15 Kobe Hetherington, 11 Brendan Piakura, 12 Jordan Riki, 13 Patrick Carrigan. Subs (all used): 14 Billy Walters, 16 Jack Gosiewski, 17 Tyson Smoothy, 19 Ben Talty 

Tries: Talty (34), Gosiewski (37), Walsh (43), Walters (62); Goals: Reynolds 5/5 

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 2-2, 2-8, 2-14; 2-20, 8-20, 14-20, 14-26 

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Titans: Jojo Fifita; Broncos: Reece Walsh 

Penalty count: 6-4; Half-time: 2-14; Referee: Liam Kennedy; Attendance: 24,553