GOLD COAST TITANS 12 BRISBANE BRONCOS 26
CALLUM WALKER, Cbus Super Stadium, Saturday

IT’S another two points for Brisbane, but boy did they have to work hard to finally overcome an unlucky Titans side.

It appeared as though it would be a procession early on as Reece Walsh caught a magnificent bomb to dot down on three minutes, but back came the Titans on the half-hour mark when Jojo Fifita intercepted a wayward pass to spring 60 metres.

With Adam Reynolds converting Walsh’s effort and then Walsh himself adding a penalty, the Broncos ran into an 8-6 half-time lead.

Brisbane turned on the style immediately after the break with Xavier Willison the beneficiary of great Ezra Mam work, before Gehamat Shibasaki extended the visitors’ lead to 16-6.

However, the Titans were harshly denied a try shortly after for a forward pass and, to rub salt into the wounds, Jesse Arthars strode over in the following set.

That seemed to dampen any hopes of a Gold Coast comeback, something which was confirmed when Mam split the Titans defence open from dummy-half with nine minutes to go.

The hosts did manage to score an absolute cracker on the hooter, with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui somehow finding Jayden Campbell who, in turn, found Fifita for his second, but the Broncos proved too strong.

Victory came at a cost with Walsh sent to hospital with a suspected facial fracture, while fellow playmakers Reynolds (groin) and Ben Hunt (knee) are also concerns.

TITANS: 1 Keano Kini, 2 Sialetili Faeamani, 3 Jojo Fifita, 4 AJ Brimson, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 Lachlan Ilias, 7 Jayden Campbell, 8 Klese Haas, 9 Sam Verrills, 10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 11 Arama Hau, 12 Beau Fermor, 13 Chris Randall. Subs: 14 Kurtis Morrin, 15 Cooper Bai, 16 Moeaki Fotuaika, 17 Oliver Pascoe, 18 Max Feagai (not used), 19 Jett Liu (not used)

Tries: Fifita (32, 79); Goals: Campbell 2/2

BRONCOS: 1 Reece Walsh, 2 Deine Mariner, 3 Kotoni Staggs, 4 Gehamat Shibasaki, 5 Jesse Arthars, 6 Ezra Mam, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Corey Jensen, 9 Cory Paix, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Brendan Piakura, 12 Jordan Riki, 13 Patrick Carrigan. Subs: 14 Ben Hunt, 15 Xavier Willison, 16 Ben Talty, 17 Aublix Tawha (not used), 18 Jaiyden Hunt (not used), 19 Antonio Verhoeven

Tries: Walsh (3), Willison (43), Shibasaki (49), Arthars (54), Mam (71); Goals: Reynolds 1/1, Walsh 1/1, Staggs 1/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-8, 6-8; 6-12, 6-16, 6-20, 6-26, 12-26

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

Penalty count: 9-5; Half-time: 6-8; Referee: Gerard Sutton