Warriors record gritty 28-18 win over Titans to keep pressure on top two on NRL ladder

At Cbus Tremendous Stadium, Gold Coast: Titans 18 (David Fifita 22 min, Joe Stimson 51 min, Jayden Campbell 63 min tries; Tanah Boyd 2 objectives, Jayden Campbell objective). Warriors 28 (Shaun Johnson 26, 34 min, Jackson Ford 42 min, Tohu Harris 72 min, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 76 min tries; Johnson 4 objectives). HT: 6-12

On report: Chris Randall (Titans)

Sin binned: Marata Niukore (Warriors)

Despatched off: Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans)

The Warriors defeated the Titans for his or her fourth win a row, beating a group that needed to play for an hour with solely 12 gamers on the sphere.

Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika was despatched off for a sickening shoulder cost on Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, which took the fullback out of the sport and whereas it took some time for issues to click on with the Warriors, as soon as that occurred, they labored their manner in direction of win No 13 for the season.

The Warriors’ efficiency was flatter than it had been in latest weeks, their assault struggled to get going they usually relied too closely on Shaun Johnson producing magic moments.

Nevertheless, two factors are two factors and the Warriors must win simply two of their remaining 4 video games this season to substantiate their spot within the prime eight for the primary time since 2018.

Jazz Tevaga was again for the primary time since spherical eight with Bunty Afoa dropping out of the group and there was unhealthy information for the Titans earlier than kick off, with there inspirational fullback and captain AJ Brimson not getting by way of the warm-up.

Neither group was in a position to get the higher hand early on. Mitch Barnett and Addin Fonua-Blake defended properly within the center early within the Titans’ units and had been in a position to comprise the likes of Isaac Liu and David Fifita.

The Titans’ ways had been on the fallacious aspect of the regulation as their plan to cope with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak consisted of grabbing him by the hair, however even worse got here within the seventeenth minute as Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was knocked out when Fotuaika smashed his shoulder into the winger’s face, which resulted within the prop getting despatched off.

Quickly after Marata Niukore was sin binned for slapping David Fifita within the face and the large Titans second rower had one other large affect on the sport a couple of minutes later when he charged over for the opening strive.

The Warriors’ assault had been lacklustre for a lot of the first half, however within the twenty eighth minute Johnson took issues into his personal arms and danced his manner by way of the defence to attain his 73rd strive for the membership.

Then with 5 minutes left within the half the Warriors scored a shocking strive, with Johnson and Watene-Zelezniak swapping passes between one another and Johnson scored once more.

Jackson Ford bagged a 3rd Warriors strive early within the second half and the Warriors had alternatives to place the sport to mattress afterwards.

However they allowed the Titans again within the sport when Joe Stimson and Jayden Campbell scored tries to get the rating 18-18.

With eight minutes to go and the prospect of golden level time for the second sport in a row for the Warriors was looming, Wayde Egan flicked a go inside to Tohu Harris near the road, with the Warriors skipper entering into and the win was confirmed when Watene-Zelezniak scored a couple of minutes later.

AT A GLANCE

The massive second

Moeaki Fotuaika’s sending off within the seventeenth minutes was justified and it made the Titans possibilities of profitable this sport considerably slimmer.

Match score

7/10: It was a patchy efficiency from the Warriors, however they made essentially the most of their alternatives on the finish of the sport to defeat an understrength Titans group.

MVP

If it wasn’t for Shaun Johnson it’s exhausting to see how the Warriors would have received this sport. Whereas others had off days, his two first half tries had been classic Johnson.

The massive image

It will now take a cataclysmic collapse for the Warriors to overlook out on the highest eight and this win retains alive hopes of even ending within the prime two.