Titans, Tigers and Sharks record impressive wins

TIGERS 30, DOLPHINS 18

Api Koroisau scores in the final 10 minutes of the Tigers match against the Dolphins.Credit: Getty Images

If Jarome Luai was still at the Panthers, there’s every chance the premiers would have knocked off Melbourne in Thursday’s grand final replay.

Instead, Luai swapped the NRL’s best team for the one at the bottom, joining Apisai Koroisau in doing so. What a difference they have made.

When they were needed most - running into the wind and trailing by 12 points against a desperate and winless Dolphins outfit in Redcliff - they stepped up when it mattered.

Koroisau set up a try and scored one himself when the result was in the balance to rocket the Tigers, at least temporarily, into second spot on the ladder.

“That was stressful. Honestly,” said Tigers coach Benji Marshall.

“We started a bit slow, got behind on the scoreboard, but just the fight and determination in the second half into the wind, there were some big efforts from some of the boys to get us home. I’m really proud as a coach of that effort.”

This is the type of game the Tigers would have lost in previous seasons. While Luai has been a focus on and off the field since headlining Benji Marshall’s roster overhaul, it was the other halfback that made all the early running.

Kodi Nikorima goes about his business with little fanfare, but he showed why he’s been a regular for the Kiwis. By half-time he’d already had a try, a try assist and a try save. It appeared his contributions were enough to earn the Dolphins their first victory of the season.

However, the Tigers now have multiple attacking weapons and they all fired when required.

In the period that Koroisau was off the field, alternate hooker Talyn Da Silva again came on and changed the tempo in his team’s favour. His try just before half-time kept the Tigers in the contest and the entire side came out of the sheds with more energy in the second stanza.

“What you don’t see out there is how calm everyone is,” Koroisau said. “There was great chat coming from our leaders, especially Jarome, just telling us to keep getting to our points and keep moving forward.”

Samuela Fainu takes on the Dolphins.Credit: Getty Images

The fightback was all the more meritorious given that Jeral Skelton and Samuela Fainu were unable to complete the game due to injuries.

“We held the team to zero in the second half, that was probably the most pleasing thing,” Marshall said.

“To just keep fighting is the main thing. As a coach, you want them to fight to the death and defensively in the second half, that’s as good as we’ve been.”

The Tigers are far from a finished product and it will take time for the new combinations to gel.

However, Luai won’t have to do it all himself. That he has Lachlan Galvin beside him, another shotcaller forever chasing the game, has made his transition that much easier.

Add Jahream Bula at the back and Terrell May and Royce Hunt up front and all of a sudden long-suffering Tigers fans can dream about a climb up the ladder.

They’re hardly attributes you normally associate with Gold Coast, but the Titans have shown grit in defence and a ruthless streak in attack to claim a 26-6 win over Newcastle.

Des Hasler’s side ran in four tries to one despite the Knights shading the territory battle to claim their first victory of the season at CBUS Super Stadium.

Saturday night’s result will disappoint the visitors, who were their own worst enemy at times with costly penalties and errors denying them points and gifting Gold Coast multiple scoring opportunities.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was a wrecking ball for the Titans, recording 140 metres from 17 hit-ups.

Young fullback Keano Kini had 217m while Phillip Sami had a game-high 23 runs for 189 metres, including 77 post-contact.

Jayden Campbell was also impressive despite some underwhelming attacking kicks in the first half, scoring an individual effort late in the first half and finishing the game with 14 points.

Fa’asuamaleaui’s flick pass after a hard run at the line released Campbell, whose pass as he was being tackled was gathered by Kini and then fed to Jojo Fifita for the opening try in the 17th minute.

Newcastle rallied and again had the Titans’ pegged back on their goal line before some ill-discipline allowed the hosts to extend their lead against the run of play.

Dane Gagai delivers a don’t argue is his side’s loss to Gold Coast.Credit: Getty Images

Back-to-back penalties and a set restart catapulted Gold Coast down the field and Campbell made it count with a strong run at the line to score in the 33rd minute.

An error close to his line by Fletcher Sharpe was compounded by a penalty against former Titan Greg Marzhew which Campbell converted to ensure the home side held a 12-0 advantage at the break.

Another penalty after halftime took that margin beyond two converted tries and the Knights were punished again when Adam Elliott gave away a downfield penalty for tackling Campbell in the air after a kick.

After multiple set restarts, Fermor wrestled no less than four defenders over the line to score the Titans’ third try and put the hosts up 20-0.

David Fifita, who again started the game from the bench but played throughout after coming on in the 25th minute, added a try of his own after another error by Marzhew, before Bradman Best’s late consolation for the Knights.

Gold Coast travel to Sydney next Friday to face the Roosters while Newcastle have the bye.

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That’s full-time in Queensland, and the Tigers walk away with their second victory of the year.

A masterclass from Api Koroisau, and a massive win for coach Benji Marshall and captain Jarome Luai.

They face the Warriors in Campbelltown next week – can the Tigers keep the momentum?

A few questions to be asked of Kristian Woolf and his Dolphins. Is this the classic Wayne Bennett curse tainting the club?

Full-time: Tigers 30, Dolphins 18

Api Koroisau take a bow.

Not only does he have a try assist for the Seyfarth try that gave the team the lead, now he puts the game away with his own try.

He scoops the ball up from dummy-half, and goes to pass to Jarome Luai, but he sees the opening.

He skips past Kodi Nikorima and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, and the Tigers are four minutes away from their second victory of the year.

Tigers 30, Dolphins 18 with four minutes to go

The Tigers hit the lead for the first time tonight.

A repeat set, a final play, and prayer, and Alex Seyfarth is across the line for the Tigers.

A beautiful ball from Api Koroisau to Seyfarth, and the three-time wooden spooners can see victory on the horizon.

Tigers 24, Dolphins 18 with 10 minutes to go

A thriller indeed!

Sunia Turuva slides over for his second try of the night, and to bring the Tigers within touching distance of the shared lead.

Adam Doueihi has the tough task of attempting the conversion. It bends, bends, bends, and hits the posts.

But luck is on the Tigers side, it hits the post and bounces through.

Tigers 18, Dolphins 18 with 15 minutes to go

We’ve got ourselves a tight contest here.

The Dolphins have more momentum, but they’re struggling to capitalise on the field position.

It’s twofold for the Tigers – great defence in this second half, but their defence wouldn’t be under so much pressure if they didn’t keep giving away silly penalties and making errors.

Another stupid mistake from the Tigers, playing basketball with the ball in front of the line. Jarome Luai drops the ball, and another chance goes by the Tigers.

Dolphins 18, Tigers 12 with 20 minutes to go