Gold Coast have ended their underwhelming NRL season with a comeback 27-26 golden-point NRL win over the Warriors in Auckland.
A beautifully-taken Tanah Boyd field goal from 40 metres out was the difference on Saturday after fellow strugglers the Warriors blew what looked a comfortable lead.
Mt Smart was again packed, but the fans were ultimately let down by what coach Stacey Jones described as a “dumb” finish.
“It was very disappointing, we’ve had some disappointing moments but that’s right up there,” said Jones.
“We came up with some dumb moments that got them back into the game, that shouldn’t have been like that.”
It had all started so well, with a bust from Eli Katoa after only four minutes leading to a quick play the ball, which Reece Walsh used beautifully to send Jesse Arthars over for the first points.
Walsh was in the action only a few minutes later, collecting a spilled ball at the back by Jayden Campbell, then flicking a pass behind his back for crowd favourite Josh Curran to rumble over.
When Dallin Watene-Zelezniak crossed in the corner off a scrum, the Warriors suddenly were up 16-0 and enjoying their best start to a game all year.
They really should have made all the pressure they enjoyed for the first half hour count for more, but the Titans finally woke up and created enough space for Alex Brimson to squeeze over next to the posts.
However, some messy work off another Warriors kick saw Curran get to the ball first and make the score 20-6 to the home side at the break.
The Titans came out fizzing in the second half, with Beau Fermor scoring to close the gap.
Again though, they squandered any momentum gained, with young Warriors winger Viliami Vailea punching through some weak defence off a scrum to score a long-range try and restore the hosts’ scoreline margin.
Freddy Lussick went close to putting the result beyond doubt when he was held up after 65 minutes, an outcome the Warriors would rue when Campbell made up for his earlier error with a stunning solo try.
The next set saw Paul Turner to cross to bring the Titans back to within two points, a deficit which was wiped out by a Boyd penalty goal as regular time expired.
After only three minutes of golden-point extra time, Boyd stepped up to be the hero with his sweetly-taken field goal.
Warriors captain Tohu Harris described the mood in the Warriors’ changing room as “sombre”, saying that the game was “the story of our season – we just find ways to shoot ourselves in the foot.”
The Titans finish with a sorry 6-18 record, as do the Warriors.
© AAP 2022
