Sydney Roosters consigned the struggling Gold Coast to their fifth consecutive loss with an 18-12 victory in a nail-biting NRL clash at Skilled Park on Saturday night.
The defeat ensures the Titans (1-5) have recorded their worst start to a season in the embattled club’s six-year history.
Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall bagged a brace of tries while halfback Mitchell Pearce enhanced his claims to retain his No.7 jersey for NSW with a strong performance.
For the Titans, Queensland Origin forward Nate Myles was superb against his former club while strike weapon Jamal Idris inspired his team with some brutal defence after being injected from the bench in the 26th minute.
Idris pulled off a try-saving tackle on Pearce and then a bone-jarring hit on back-rower Boyd Cordner that forced a knock-on as the teams went to the halftime break locked at 6-6.
But his best hit came early in the second half when he smashed Roosters skipper Braith Anasta in the in-goal area to force a line drop-out in front of 11,478 boisterous fans.
It was no coincidence that the Titans conceded two tries – to Kenny-Dowall and fullback Anthony Minichiello – when Idris was off the field getting treatment on his sore hamstring.
Those tries allowed the visitors to jump out to an 18-6 lead after 56 minutes against a Titans outfit missing international forward Greg Bird (ankle) and hooker Kayne Lawton (hamstring).
Winger David Mead, in his return from a broken jaw suffered in round two, scored the second of his two tries in the 71st minute to keep the Titans in the match.
The home side kept attacking in the dying stages but, in a tense finish, the Roosters held on grimly to notch their fourth win of the season.
mushi
Guest
Super League better quality than the NRL? That's a top ten comment for your Oikee. Pure O gold.
john
Guest
oikee really brett seymour was rubbish and could not get a start in the nrl so if he looks skillful then maybe the superleague is not as good as you think
bjt
Guest
Well we all knew these days were coming... a return to the former glory days where the Gold Coast game was the easiest pick in the tipping comp.
oikee
Guest
First of all i have to say, well done Bull Bailey. After giving him a serve last week, he stood up and tried his absolute best and was brilliant, shame his backline let him done. The backline, what can you say, Amatuers, not really nrl players, underdone or well-done, take your pick. Rankin is not ready for the NRL, he might never be, who knows, but when you cant throw a pass to save your life, your team is in big trouble. The amount of passes that hit the ground was painful. Then we have Michaels, who cant throw a pass because he just cant. And he gets pushed back most times when on his 10 metre line. Watching this game really makes you wonder, surely somewhere their are better players that are not being used. Are they trying to tell me out of all the players running around in reserve grade or gone overseas, we cant find better than Michaels or Rankin. ? I can tell you this, if they did try to tell you that, they are lying. Having just watched the superleague games which played to sold out stdiums this weekend, the quality of these games are far in advance of the NRL. Why, because they can catch and pass balls without dropping them , or throwing them on the ground instead of out in front of a player to run onto. I was blown away by not only the skill level in the Superleague, but also the passion level of the fans, way way in excess of our fans. Probably because they are being witness to quality. When the NRL upgrades the tv deal, they should add the extra 5 players to the roster, from 25 to 30 or whatever it may be, because we need to find more quality than what we have got, it is near embaressing after watching super league. They have Brett Finch and Brett Seymour running around over their, and i have not seen them throw a dud pass yet. Plus they guide these tweams around beautifully, while i have to sit through the Titans garbage. I dont blame the Titans forwards, they are all putting in 100%, good game bull.