Gold Coast have crashed Tim Sheens’ Leichhardt Oval homecoming, toppling Wests Tigers 22-10 and spoiling any hopes of a vivid begin to the joint-venture’s new period.
The Titans, additionally determined to show issues round after a lacklustre 2022, appeared an improved aspect as they made essentially the most of their possibilities with David Fifita main the way in which.
The one considerations for Justin Holbrook’s males can be a knock to the knee for Keiran Foran, whereas prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was additionally positioned on report for a excessive shot.
After being one of many tales of the summer season, the Tigers had been cheered within the warm-up and given a standing ovation onto the sector by the 14,667 followers at Leichhardt.
They’d the primary factors by a penalty purpose when Gold Coast put a kick out on the total, earned three penalties earlier than the Titans touched the ball and had all of the early operating.
Then Daine Laurie made an error in assault, and it was again to the identical previous frustration for Tigers followers, who later started submitting out of the well-known previous floor with 10 minutes to go.
Adam Doueihi supplied some indicators of promise for the membership, as he broke by to attain a attempt within the second half and went to the road to arrange one other.
However any hopes the Tigers had of getting again into the match and giving Sheens his first win on the membership since August 2012 had been cruelled by their very own sloppiness.
It got here after a irritating first half, during which that they had 26 play-the-balls on the Titans’ line however couldn’t cross for a attempt.
Gold Coast, as compared, had three forays contained in the Tigers’ 20-metre zone and led 12-2 on the break.
The guests’ first attempt got here when Foran put Fifta by a gap on midway and Phillip Sami loomed up in assist to complete the job.
With questions lingering over his future amid an method from Brisbane, Fifita appeared to relish enjoying alongside Foran and completed the night time with 162 metres and 5 deal with busts.
Sami scored the Titans’ subsequent when he received the race to an Alexander Brimson grubber kick, earlier than Sam McIntyre made it 18-2 after the break when the Tigers let a Tanah Boyd bomb bounce.
Any hopes the Tigers had of getting again into the match at 18-10 had been extinguished when Brimson scored off an excellent Jayden Campbell ball after a scrum.
For the Titans, there’s hope after a future of false dawns and disappointments.
The Tigers have work to do early in Sheens’ second period earlier than Benji Marshall succeeds as coach in 2025, however Doueihi not less than gave followers some small cause to consider.
