Not many NRL teams can defeat a near strength Melbourne Storm side, but the Gold Coast Titans have somehow managed to do it twice in a row without their best player Scott Prince.
In round four last season, the Titans produced one of the year’s biggest upsets by defeating Melbourne 18-6 at Olympic Park without the services of their captain.
On that Saturday night, the Gold Coast produced their best defensive performance since their introduction in the NRL three years ago, to outmuscle a Storm team which had started showing some vulnerability after three seasons of dominance.
It was no coincidence then that John Cartwright’s men finished third on the competition ladder last season, thanks largely to the confidence attained from that groundbreaking victory.
Fast forward twelve months and the Titans have yet again achieved what many thought was impossible against the reigning premiers.
Not only did the Titans beat the Storm without Prince, they managed to do it despite trailing by 12 points at halftime.
Although teams such as the Wests Tigers, Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels have come back from greater deficits to record victories this season, Melbourne’s record over the past few years when leading at the break all but suggested the Titans were no hope in hell of coming back.
The Storm’s only loss last season after leading at the interval was against the Dragons back in round 21.
Indeed, one cannot recall the last time Craig Bellamy’s men surrendered a significant halftime lead to the opposition, such has been their consistency over the past four years.
But on the back of a terrific performance from Titans forward Anthony Laffranchi, the Gold Coast have managed to defy recent history and statistics to end Melbourne’s unbeaten start to the season.
Laffranchi was arguably the best player on the paddock from either side, making a mammoth 37 tackles to go along with his 16 hit-ups for 136 metres.
Titans hooker Nathan Friend also put his body on the line in defence, making 42 tackles to play a critical role in keeping Melbourne scoreless in the second half.
Indeed the key surrounding the Storm’s constant dominance surrounds their low error rate – a facet which proved their undoing against the Gold Coast.
Melbourne made 14 errors against the Titans and found themselves constantly on the back foot in the second stanza, missing 28 tackles.
Even a team without the services of one of the NRL’s most creative minds in Prince, will take advantage of the opportunities presented through lack of ball control.
Despite the loss, there is little doubt that Melbourne will bounce back next week and reassert their status as premiership favourites.
The Titans, on the other hand, have shown they are a team slowly developing a successful aura which should be respected, with or without Scott Prince.
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