Three months to the day since they last won a game, the Titans returned the winner’s circle with a 44-24 victory over the Sea Eagles at Cbus Super Stadium.
The Gold Coast, who headed into Sunday’s match on a 10-game losing streak and without their skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who missed the game due to the impending birth of his second child, ran riot against Manly for their biggest win of the year .
The result all but ends Manly’s top-eight hopes, while they also lost winger Jason Saab to a suspected ACL injury in the second half.
Props Jarrod Wallace and Jaimin Jolliffe – who were both late additions to the starting side – combined for the opening try, but Reuben Garrick canceled it out with his own converted try a short time late.
Jolliffe clings on to open scoring
When Dylan Walker was sin-binned for a high tackle seconds after entering the game from the interchange on 20 minutes, the Titans took full advantage and exposed Manly with looping ball out to winger Jojo Fifita.
But the back-and-forth nature of the contest continued, and despite their numerical disadvantage Manly got one back through representative forward Jake Trbojevic.
Nine minutes from the break, former Sea Eagle Brian Kelly picked off a pass from Daly Cherry-Evans and took it 60 meters for a try which gave the Titans a 20-12 lead at the break.
Kelly picks off former teammate
The second half was all about the Titans, with Beau Fermor scoring before AJ Brimson made the most of a fortuitous bounce to score his side’s fifth, two minutes before David Fifita ploughed through the Manly defense for another.
Fermor stormed over for his second inside the final minute to finish off his side’s best performance of the year.
Fermor puts the icing on the cake
match snapshot
- The victory was the Gold Coast’s first since Magic Round in May this year and snapped a 10-game losing streak.
- Tanah Boyd was a strong performer in the halves, kicking seven conversions from seven attempts and setting up a try.
- The Sea Eagles completed at just 55 percent, making 15 errors.
- Manly winger Jason Saab suffered a suspected ACL injury after falling awkwardly while jumping for a high ball in the second half.
- Manly’s Dylan Walker was sin-binned for a high tackle midway through the first half.
- Andrew Davey left the field for a HIA 10 minutes before half time but passed and returned to the field.
- David Fifita has scored in each of his last three games against the Sea Eagles
Play of the game
A monster run from David Fifita which showed what he can do when he is on his game. Since regaining his starting spot in the pack Fifita has been in good form, and this effort – which means he has now scored in each of his last three games against the Sea Eagles – gave Titans fans plenty to smile about.
Fifita goes beast mode in 60m classic
What they said
“Let’s not beat around the bush, we were poor today, out of our own making, that’s the disappointing part about it. We were ill-disciplined with the ball, made unforced errors… we were definitely down on the effort that we displayed against Parra last week” – Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler.
Sea Eagles: Round 22
“I feel like the last few weeks we have been sort of working towards a performance like that. But we had to put it together and we did that tonight, so really happy… I thought we controlled the game really well and hence why we had a good win.” – Titans coach Justin Holbrook.
Titans: Round 22
what’s next
The Titans head away to face the Dragons next and will be hoping to have the services of Fa’asuamaleaui again, while the Sea Eagles are home to the Sharks on Saturday night.