Live stream: Gold Coast Titans face Brisbane North Cougars in Ruby Series preliminary final (Sapphire Series)

Gold Coast Titans have pulled off an astonishing finish, snatching victory from the hands from the Brisbane North Cougars to set up a Ruby Series grand final rematch. Watch the game REPLAY.

Gold Coast Titans have booked their ticket to the 2024 Ruby Series grand final after a mesmerising 61-60 win on the siren against the ACU Brisbane North Cougars, though the process was far from easy.

Their uncharacteristic slow start gave Cougars a welcomed five-goal lead before three Super Shots in a row closed it back to three at quarter time.

Hayley Matthew was instrumental and created space in the Titans circle for goal attack Brooke Marchant.

However it wasn’t the familiar lineup Titans had expected, with star shooter Roxy Rhind receiving a call-up to Sapphires in replacement of an injured Talitah Faifai.

A physical second quarter featured an early comeback from the coast side.

Cougars’ shooting combo of Tiarni Fennell and Marley Burns continued on their high percentage trek, but lost possession around the transverse to provide Titans with a run to level scores midway through.

The excitement was shortlived before the Cougars retaliated, drawing the lead out to 33-25 at halftime.

Pressure from the Brissy side’s defence forced Titans to make a brave positional change in the circle - wing attack Courtney Murphy switching with Marchant and pushing Matthew out to GA.

What was at one point a 12-goal advantage vanished thanks to four Super Shots at the hands of Matthew.

“She went on a bit of a shooting spree,” Titans coach Erin Byrnes said.

“(Hayley) has been hitting them all year so I said I trusted her to take them when the shot is on.

“And it was on, so there was no hesitation.”

The fifth came and put Titans in the lead for the first time since the first quarter.

Followed by a sixth.

At three-quarter time, the Titans lead 48-46.

Matthew described her magic run as simply necessary.

“It was really good because the team does get around you,” she said.

“It makes you want to do it again.”

With tensions high, the Cougars used their tactical timeout with six minutes still on the clock.

It proved a worthwhile move, the side converting the next centre pass for a two-pointer.

Titans’ attacking combo stole the show in the final five minutes but it was the final blow from Matthew, an after-the-buzzer Super Shot, that sealed the victory.

PREVIEW

Gold Coast head coach Erin Byrnes is confident her Titans Ruby side will get the job done in their preliminary final clash with the ACU Brisbane North Cougars on Sunday.

Titans were beaten in last weekend’s qualifying semifinal by hot favorites, the Carina Leagues Club Tigers, letting a first quarter lead slip away.

Byrnes said this week’s do-or-die would come down to the basics.

CATCH THE TITANS v THUNDER SAPPHIRE SERIES MATCH HERE

Catch the Ruby Series and Sapphire Series preliminary finals LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV from 4pm.

Check the full LIVE STREAM schedule below.

“Our plan is to keep it simple, execute the fundamentals well in attack and build pressure in defence,” Byrnes said.

“Staying in play in defence is really key to building pressure, so we’ll be aiming for a low penalty count.

Titans’ Roxanne Rhind, Madison Rhind, coach Erin Byrnes, and Jade Karadag

“I think the game will come down to who can stay controlled and execute the fundamentals in the pressure moments.”

The Titans have the upper hand on their Brisbane rivals in 2024 having come out on top of both regular season clashes.

They first met in round 8 with the Titans producing a 64-42 win. They followed it up with a 69-51 performance in round 14.

“We will take confidence from our past performances against Cougars, but know that anything can happen in finals,” Byrnes said.

“Cougars have some great coaches, they no doubt have some tricks up their sleeves, but we’ll just adjust as it comes.”

Cougars player Tiarni Fennell.

With a star-studded lineup from shooter to keeper, Byrnes has already called for a top tier performance from starting goal defender Dellwyn Fiso.

“I think we can expect a big game from (Dellwyn), she reads play really well, has a great closing speed and vertical jump,” she said.

“Aaliyah Sheppard’s experience playing and winning in big games will show through as well in her ability to control the tempo of the game.”

Goal shooter Roxy Rhind finished on 87 per cent accuracy in the semifinal, making 35 from 40 attempts, including three Super Shots.

If successful, the Titans will be through to their second straight Ruby Series grand final against the Tigers..

Cougars and Titans met on this same stage in 2023, with the Gold Coast side earning their ticket through with a confident 48-37 win.