GOLD COAST TITANS 20 CANBERRA RAIDERS 30
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Cbus Stadium, Sunday
HUDSON YOUNG led a Canberra comeback from 16 points down at Gold Coast.
The back-rower scored a double for the third consecutive game, becoming only the second forward to achieve that feat in the NRL after Steve Menzies.
The Raiders were three tries down after the opening quarter as the Titans, missing halfback Jayden Campbell to a late injury, started well.
Rookie replacement Tom Weaver set up a Jojo Fifita try with a high kick, in between two AJ Brimson-inspired efforts, creating scores for Beau Fermor and then himself with a kick and chase.
Savelio Tamale began the fightback, then Young scored his first off a Morgan Smithies pass.
And when Ethan Strange followed in, Jamal Fogarty’s second goal made it 16-16 at the break.
The turnaround was complete two-and-a-half minutes into the second half, Sebastian Kris claiming a kick from Fogarty who again goaled.
Canberra threatened a response when Allan Fitzgibbon marked his first NRL start with a maiden try, but Weaver couldn’t convert from out wide.
That meant Young’s second try, running straight through the Raiders defence with 15 minutes remaining, took them close to the finish line, and a couple more Fogarty goals put them over it.
TITANS: 1 Jaylan De Groot, 2 Jojo Fifita, 3 Brian Kelly, 4 Phillip Sami, 19 Allan Fitzgibbon, 6 AJ Brimson, 21 Tom Weaver, 8 Moeaki Fotuaika, 9 Sam Verrills, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 12 Beau Fermor, 14 Chris Randall, 13 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui. Subs: 15 Klese Haas, 16 Jaimin Jolliffe, 17 Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui (not used), 18 Arama Hau
Tries: Fermor (4), Fifita (10), Brimson (20), Fitzgibbon (52); Goals: Weaver 2/4
RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Savelio Tamale, 3 Matthew Timoko, 4 Sebastian Kris, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Jamal Fogarty, 8 Corey Horsburgh, 9 Tom Starling, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Matty Nicholson, 16 Josh Papalii. Subs (all used): 13 Morgan Smithies, 14 Owen Pattie, 15 Zac Hosking, 17 Ata Mariota
Tries: Tamale (27), Young (34, 65), Strange (40), Kris (43); Goals: Fogarty 5/6
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 16-0, 16-4, 16-10, 16-16; 16-22, 20-22, 20-28, 20-30
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Titans: AJ Brimson; Raiders: Hudson Young
Penalty count: 7-9; Half-time: 16-16; Referee: Adam Gee; Attendance: 15,089
