ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 38 GOLD COAST TITANS 16
CALLUM WALKER, WIN Stadium, Friday
IN a result as straightforward as they come, the Titans proved no match for a purring Dragons.
The onslaught began in the tenth minute as Christian Tuipulotu continued his great try-scoring form before Brian Kelly pulled one back for the visitors.
And although it took until the half-hour for the hosts to assert their dominance, the Dragons hit the visitors with three tries in six minutes.
Valentine Holmes – who went on to convert five from seven – struck first with Tyrell Sloan and Kyle Flanagan getting in on the act as half-time approached.
If the Titans thought that half-time would rescue their second 40 minutes, they were badly mistaken as St George continued their devastating assault with Tuipulotu notching a double immediately following the resumption.
Not to be outdone, Sloan registered his second on the hour, but Phillip Sami did respond for the Titans just two minutes later.
As time wound down, Brock Gray was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle to make matters worse for the Titans as Dylan Egan – who impressed throughout – grabbed a deserved four-pointer.
Though the night belonged to the Dragons, the Titans had the final word with AJ Brimson going over in the final minute.
DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Tyrell Sloan, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Valentine Holmes, 5 Christian Tuipulotu, 6 Kyle Flanagan, 7 Lachlan Ilias, 8 Toby Couchman, 9 Damien Cook, 10 David Klemmer, 12 Jaydn Su’a, 17 Dylan Egan, 13 Jack De Belin, Subs (all used): 11 Luciano Leilua, 14 Jacob Liddle, 15 Blake Lawrie, 16 Hamish Stewart
Tries: Tuipulotu (10, 43), Holmes (32), Sloan (36, 60), Flanagan (38), Egan (73); Goals: Holmes 5/7
TITANS: 1 Jaylan De Groot, 2 Tony Francis, 3 Brian Kelly, 12 Beau Fermor, 4 Phillip Sami, 6 AJ Brimson, 7 Jayden Campbell, 8 Moaeki Fotuaika, 9 Sam Verrills, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Klese Haas, 15 David Fifita, 13 Chris Randall. Subs (all used): 14 Arama Hau, 16 Jaimin Jolliffe, 17 Brock Gray, 22 Allan Fitzgibbon
Tries: Kelly (17), Sami (62), Brimson (79); Goals: Campbell 2/3; Sin bin: Gray (66) – dangerous tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 12-4, 18-4, 24-4; 28-4, 34-4, 34-10, 38-10, 38-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Dylan Egan; Titans: David Fifita
Penalty count: 5-7; Half-time: 24-4; Referee: Chris Butler; Attendance: 8,510
