In what was an incredibly entertaining game, the Gold Coast Titans scored two tries in the final six minutes to pull off a sensational comeback victory over the Melbourne Storm.
The Storm equalled the record for the most points scored by a losing team in the history of Australian Rugby League, running up six converted tries.
It was a brave performance from the Titans, who seemed to be out of the game a number of times but managed to hang on despite only having one man left standing on the bench by the game’s end as Ryan Simpkins, Dan Sarginson and Jarryd Hayne all went down with injury.
The Storm lacked their usual efficiency in attack, making errors and finishing the game with just 19 of 31 completions, and that combined with the lethal short-range kicking game of Ashley Taylor was enough to tip the balance in favour of the Gold Coast.
The Titans attempted to get the scoring underway with a penalty goal, but missed. In the ensuing set of six, it was forward Ryan James crossing next to the uprights to open the scoring.
The Storm then took control of the game and could have skipped away with it, running on three tries in eight minutes.
With some lazy defence on display, Cameron Smith, Cameron Munster Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater picked it to pieces.
The Storm’s first try came to Billy Slater, with Munster sending Tohu Harris through the line. Harris then linked with Slater on the inside who ran around to score behind the goal posts.
A Cooper Cronk double kept the scoreboard ticking over, with the first coming on the back of a Smith inside ball to Slater who found Cronk in support.
The third try came just a handful of minutes later with Munster putting Glasby through the line, with the prop finding Cronk to score again.
The Titans got back into the game with a couple of uncharacteristic Melbourne errors before Nathan Peats threw a hard flat ball for Leivaha Pulu who crossed under the sticks.
Moments later, Anthony Don had the Titans almost back level with Jarryd Hayne playing on the wrong side of the field, playing off an offload and then throwing a long pass for Don to finish in the corner.
At halftime, the Titans were trailing by just two points.
On the other side of the break, the point-scoring showed no signs of letting up as the Titans gained the ascendency, running on the first two tries of the second half.
It was Konrad Hurrell picking up the first on the back of a Nathan Peats grubber before Anthony Don latched onto a kick from Taylor, batting it back for Chris McQueen to extend the Titans’ lead.
Down by ten, the Storm struggled to get back into the contest before picking up a string of penalties with Will Chambers getting the scoreboard ticking again, running through a yawning gap out wide.
Joe Stimson then put the Storm back into the lead after Vunivalu chased and received a Cooper Cronk kick, before linking with the front rower who scored under the posts.
Melbourne seemed to end the game just ten minutes from time when Cheyse Blair scored on the left edge, but as the Titans have become known for they found a way back in, getting the ball back off a short kick-off before Tyrone Roberts scored on the back of another Taylor grubber.
The Titans then marched back up the field from the kick-off, with Taylor then pinning the Storm on their own goalline after a sensational kick. Under all sorts of pressure, Vunivalu then came up with an error before another Taylor kick set up a second try for Hurrell to finish the game with Anthony Don the hero, batting it back in.
A sensational game of Rugby League in Brisbane, as the Titans pick up their third straight victory.
Final score
Melbourne Storm 36
Gold Coast Titans 38
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