NRL 2021: Gold Coast Titans win 34-6 over Canterbury Bulldogs | Match Report

The Titans hopes of playing finals footy for the first time in five years have been boosted, getting back in the top eight for the first time since Round 11.

The Titans are back in the top eight for the first time since Round 11. Picture: NRL Photos.

The Titans have jumped up into the top eight following an all-important 34-6 win over the Bulldogs as they eye off their first finals appearance in five years.

It probably won’t go down as one of the most entertaining games of the year but in a rare Monday night double header at Suncorp Stadium, the Titans made the most of an insipid Bulldogs outfit.

Gold Coast halfback Ash Taylor was on-song and livewire fullback AJ Brimson tore apart the Bulldogs defence to steer the Titans to their biggest win over Canterbury in club history.

Brimson described it as an all-important win leading into the finals.

“It was important,” Brimson told Fox League post-match.

“We expected a big game and we needed the two points, which we got done.

“We took a lot of confidence out of this game.”

There are some worrying signs for the Titans though, who made a number of errors immediately after building momentum.

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The Titans are back in the top eight for the first time since Round 11. Picture: NRL Photos.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs slumped to their sixth straight loss as they stare down the barrel of taking home the 2021 wooden spoon.

Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett was forced to lament his side’s ill-discipline and costly errors, admitting the next month of football was about playing for pride with the wooden spoon now looming for Canterbury’s trophy cabinet.

“It was disappointing, very,” Barrett said.

“We were our own worst enemy.

“We put ourselves in a position where we were on the right side of the ledger for possession and we completed (well).

“We’ve got a few blokes in there who need to have a good look at themselves.

“We need to take a lot of pride in what we do in the next month of footy.”

Titans coach Justin Holbrook said it was vital victory as they edged closer to their first finals berth since 2016.

“It’s a great position we’ve got ourselves in now due to a couple of good wins,” Holbrook said.

“We’ve got to keep that going.

“(Monday’s win) was extremely important, as was last week’s and as is Sunday’s.

“That’s exciting because that’s why you play, you want to be in the hunt and we’ve got ourselves back in there.”

TOP EIGHT TITANS

Despite only winning three of their past eight games, the Titans have kept their finals hopes alive.

Their 28-point win over the last-placed Bulldogs saw the Gold Coast jump up to seventh spot on the premiership ladder and will finish the round in the top eight for the first time since Round 11.

With a somewhat favourable run to the finals, there is a fair chance the Titans will play their first finals footy since 2016.

The Titans face the Cowboys (14th) next week before a brutal fortnight against South Sydney and then Melbourne.

However, they then face the Knights (10th) and Warriors (12th) in their final two games of the season and if they can continue their new-found winning way, could book themselves a spot in this year’s top eight.

David Fifita may have found a permanent home as an interchange impact player, after starring off the bench. Picture: NRL Photos.

TITANS TACTICS

After his barnstorming performance off the bench last week, Gold Coast backrower David Fifita backed it up again against the Bulldogs.

Fifita came close to scoring a try just minutes after coming off the bench, only to be disallowed for a double movement and finished the match with 173 metres and three tackle busts.

But it was his engine room teammates who also stepped up a notch on Monday night, with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui running for 146 metres and a try and Moeaki Fotuaika running for 119 metres.

DOGS BREAKFAST

The Bulldogs were simply insipid on Monday night.

A costly eight errors and 20 missed tackles saw the Bulldogs slump to their sixth straight loss and their 11th straight defeat in Queensland.

It was also the 13th time this season the Bulldogs have lost a match by more than 30 points, epitomising their poor defensive effort this year.