GOLD COAST TITANS 16 MELBOURNE STORM 28
CALLUM WALKER, Cbus Super Stadium, Saturday
MELBOURNE did just about enough in horrendous conditions to inflict yet another defeat on the lowly Titans.
Gold Coast have won just three games all year but they looked energised in the face of a Storm onslaught.
Despite the conditions, both sides played their part in an entertaining game with the hosts breaking the deadlock on six minutes when Jayden Campbell supported a superb Jojo Fifita break.
But, the Storm hit back with three tries before half-time for a 16-6 lead at the break. Sualauvi Faalogo took advantage of a great Ryan Papenhuyzen run to reply first before the winger latched on to a loose ball to run home from halfway.
Just to rub salt into the wounds, Tyran Wishart stole a four-pointer from dummy-half with the hooter sounding which left the Titans needing to score first in the second-half.
To their credit, they did just that through Phillip Sami, but a Grant Anderson double – the second a wonderful 80-metre interception – put the Storm into a 28-10 lead with 15 minutes to go.
And though Sami grabbed his second moments later, there was little Des Hasler’s men could do to claw back the twelve-point deficit.
TITANS: 7 Jayden Campbell, 2 Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 3 Brian Kelly, 4 Jojo Fifita, 5 Phillip Sami, 14 Kieran Foran, 21 Tom Weaver, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 9 Sam Verrills, 15 Jaimin Jolliffe, 11 Chris Randall, 12 Beau Fermor, 13 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui. Subs (all used): 8 Moeaki Fotuaika, 16 Klese Haas, 17 Jacob Alick-Wiencke, 19 Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui
Tries: Campbell (6), Sami (49, 68); Goals: Campbell 2/3
STORM: 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2 Sualauvi Faalogo, 4 Nick Meaney, 19 Jack Howarth, 3 Grant Anderson, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Stefano Utoikamanu, 17 Bronson Garlick, 10 Josh King, 11 Shawn Blore, 12 Eliesa Katoa, 15 Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Subs (all used): 13 Trent Loiero, 14 Tyran Wishart, 16 Tui Kamikamica, 18 Joe Chan
Tries: Faalogo (16, 36), Wishart (40), Anderson (59, 65); Goals: Papenhuyzen 4/5
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 6-10, 6-16; 10-16, 10-22, 10-28, 16-28
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Titans: Jayden Campbell; Storm: Ryan Papenhuyzen
Penalty count: 8-5; Half-time: 6-16; Referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski; Attendance: 13,509
