Titans make one of the dumbest decisions of 2022: Stupid short kickoff starts rot that saw Titans let 20-point lead slip in massive collapse as never-say-die Broncos get SIXTH win on the trot
- The Titans collapsed in Brisbane on Friday to let a 20-point lead slip in the NRL
- A stupid short kickoff swung the momentum in the Broncos’ favour at Suncorp
- A second half Brisbane blitz gave the Broncos their sixth win on the bounce
Moments change games and for Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook, it won’t be too difficult to pinpoint when his side lost control of their 20-point advantage in Brisbane.
Returning to kick off after a Te Maire Martin try, the Titans inexcusably opted to play the ball short but executed their plan horrendously, with Jordan Riki teed up for an easy score after running half the length of the pitch.
The floodgates opened immediately, with Herbie Farnworth, Kurt Capewell and Ezra Mam all scoring to hand Kevin Walter’s side a 35-24 victory – their sixth win on the bounce.
A stupid short kickoff saw Gold Coast lose control against Brisbane as they fell to defeat
The Titans fell to 3-9 and likely now three wins outside the top eight.
It followed a similar tale to last year’s Suncorp Stadium clash, the Titans giving up a 22-point lead to lose – something they also did against Canberra earlier this year.
On-fire Gold Coast halfback Toby Sexton set up two of their three tries before Selwyn Cobbo’s intercept stopped a fourth and his brave run that followed swung the tide.
In a mad two minutes, Sexton went off injured and Esan Marsters joined Sam McIntyre in the sin-bin for professional fouls.
Cobbo scored in the corner but Tom Flegler’s knock-on from the restart let the 11-man Titans off the hook.
Back from injury, Fifita stormed from dummy half to score a crucial try and stunt Brisbane’s surge.
Tanah Boyd then did enough in a desperate tackle to dislodge the ball as Kurt Capewell looked for a pass to Corey Oates for a certain try to end a wild and wacky first half.
Jordan Riki was given an easy score after capitalising on a poor short kick from kick off
It was a key moment that changed the momentum of the game at Suncorp Stadium on Friday
Just when the Titans looked settled more madness set in with three tries in six minutes.
Te Maire Martin sliced through to score before the Titans, despite being up 24-10, opted for a short restart that backfired badly.
Cory Paix beat the Titans to it, breaking straight through to gift Jordan Riki a runaway try.
The Broncos bagged their sixth win on the bounce and impressed without Adam Reynolds
Herbie Farnworth, after Jamayne Isaako spilt a simple bomb, then muscled over to make it a two-point game with 22 minutes still to play.
Gold Coast settled briefly again when Sexton returned but an Ezra Mam cut-out pass and neat kick back infield from Corey Oates allowed Capewell to score the go-ahead try with 10 minutes to play.
Farnworth then busted a ninth tackle for the evening, flicking an inside ball to Mam for the match-sealer and Tyson Gamble iced it with a field goal.