Dragons thump Titans 54-8 to confirm they are genuine NRL premiership contenders

ST George Illawarra ran in nine tries against the Titans to register the club’s biggest win since 2004 and confirm they are genuine NRL premiership contenders.

Matthew Dufty is congratulated by Dragons teammates after scoring a try against the Titans at Clive Berghofer Stadium in Toowoomba.

ASH Taylor’s Toowoomba homecoming turned into a nightmare reunion as the Gold Coast Titans were thumped 54-8 by St George Illawarra.

The Dragons were on fire in front of 7297 at Clive Berghofer Stadium, running in nine tries on a glorious afternoon to register the club’s biggest win since 2004 and confirm they are genuine NRL premiership contenders.

The bad news for the Titans is it doesn’t get any easier with a daunting Easter Sunday clash against their bogy side the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium looming.

The Gold Coast’s last clash against Brisbane was a 54-0 thumping which signalled the end of former coach Neil Henry’s tenure at the club.

“I’m very disappointed,” Titans coach Garth Brennan said.

MORE: Titans v Dragons — five things we learned

Matthew Dufty is congratulated by Dragons teammates after scoring a try against the Titans at Clive Berghofer Stadium in Toowoomba.

Paul Vaughan celebrates scoring a try for the Dragons.

“We’ve got to learn from that. We weren’t good enough. We were a long way off defensively.

“The guys were trying, there is no doubt about that. They are feeling it and doing it tough. That shows me they care. I don’t think they gave up.

“I’ve got the belief it will happen. It’s just going to take some time.”

Tyson Frizell charges into the Dragons defence.

Not even Taylor’s return from a hamstring injury could spark the Titans as the Gold Coast produced its first genuinely poor effort under Brennan to be 1-2 after three rounds.

Taylor sent two kick-offs out on the full, briefly left the field after being hit high and was placed on report for attempting to trip Dragons pivot Gareth Widdop.

“I assume it would be a reflex action — it’s not in Ash’s game,” Brennan said of the trip.

“It wasn’t ideal for Ash but there were plenty of guys that weren’t at their best.

“He’s only 23 and is in a position where he’s got to run the football team and own it.

“I believe he can do that. I’m sure he’ll embrace the challenge.”

Tim Lafai gets the ball down to score one of his three tries for the Dragons.

For 30 minutes the Titans appeared to be the better team and could have easily had a healthy lead if not for Bryce Cartwright and Konrad Hurrell bombing opportunities.

But when Taylor kicked out on the full the Gold Coast dropped their bundle and St George-Illawarra pounced with a three-try blitz in three minutes to bolt out to a 26-8 lead at the break.

The Titans could not have started any worse, Kane Elgey spilling the kick-off then letting Dragons fullback Matt Dufty slip past him for the opening points inside 90 seconds.

Titans fullback Michael Gordon celebrates scoring a try with Ashley Taylor.

Taylor showed his class with a deft pass to put fullback Michael Gordon over, but he undid some of his good work when he kicked out on the full and Dragons centre Tim Lafai scored off the next set.

Dufty and Lafai had doubles within two minutes to make it 26-8 at halftime and the Titans looking for answers.

Taylor returned from a concussion test after the break but his joy was short-lived, the halfback sending another kick-off out on the full before being placed on report.

Gareth Widdop scores a try for the Dragons.

Even with Jack de Belin in the sin-bin the Dragons didn’t slow down, ex-Titans winger Nene Macdonald scoring superbly on the wing before Widdop and Ben Hunt combined for a special four-pointer.

Dufty and Lafai rounded out their hat-tricks as the Dragons moved past the half-century and left the Titans nursing one of the club’s biggest ever losses.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 54 (M Dufty 3 T Lafai 3 N MacDonald P Vaughan G Widdop tries G Widdop 9 goals) bt GOLD COAST 8 (M Gordon try M Gordon 2 goals) at Clive Berghofer Stadium. Referee: Henry Perenara, Chris Butler

Originally published as Dragons thump Titans 54-8 to confirm they are genuine NRL premiership contenders