GOLD COAST TITANS 6 NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 42
CALLUM WALKER, Cbus Super Stadium, Saturday
MEN against boys is how you could describe New Zealand Warriors’ thrashing of Gold Coast Titans.
Fresh from their narrow loss to Canterbury last weekend, the Warriors rallied here to cement their place inside the NRL’s top four.
The writing was on the wall early for the Titans when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Alofiana Khan-Pereira crossed within the opening eleven minutes.
And though Chanel Harris-Tavita missed those conversions, he was on target moments later after he himself dotted down for a 14-0 lead.
The home side did register a glimmer of hope through Arama Hau, but that would be the only thing the Titans had to cheer about all day.
Leka Halasima restored the Warriors’ 14-point lead on the half-hour before Jacob Laban made it 26-6 at half-time.
Little could stop the Warriors’ momentum heading into the second half – a fact encapsulated by Eddie Ieremia-Toaeva’s score on 48 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse for the Titans on the hour as AJ Brimson was sin-binned for a professional foul.
So there was little the home side could do when Te Maire Martin grabbed a late double to rack up 42 points and confirm the Warriors’ place in the NRL finals.
TITANS: 1 Keano Kini, 2 Dean Ieremia, 3 Jojo Fifita, 4 AJ Brimson, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 Jayden Campbell, 7 Zane Harrison, 8 Moeaki Fotuaika, 9 Oliver Pascoe, 10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 11 Arama Hau, 12 Beau Fermor, 13 Chris Randall. Subs: 14 Kurtis Morrin, 15 Josh Patston, 16 Klese Haas, 17 Cooper Bai, 18 Sam Verrills (not used), 20 Jaylan De Groot (not used)
Tries: Hau (24); Goals: Campbell 1/1; Sin bin: Brimson (56) – professional foul
WARRIORS: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Ali Leiataua, 17 Leka Halasima, 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Te Maire Martin, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitchell Barnett, 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Jacob Laban, 13 Erin Clark. Subs: 4 Adam Pompey (not used), 14 Sam Healey, 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18 Luke Metcalf (not used), 20 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 22 Riley Price
Tries: Watene-Zelezniak (7), Khan-Pereira (11), Harris-Tavita (17), Halasima (29), Laban (37), Ieremia-Toeava (48), Martin (64, 70); Goals: Harris-Tavita 5/8
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-8, 0-14, 6-14, 6-20, 6-26; 6-32, 6-36, 6-42
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Titans: Arama Hau; Warriors: Te Maire Martin
Penalty count: 5-3; Half-time: 6-26; Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Attendance: 25,181