David Fifita scores three tries in first half but the night belonged to Benji Marshall

You have to do something pretty special to steal the spotlight from a player who scored three tries in one half, but Benji Marshall is special.

NRL 2021 Round 7 Gold Coast Titans v South Sydney Rabbitohs, Cbus Super Stadium - Benji Marshall Picture Jason O'Brien NRL Photos

Another shocking defensive effort from the Titans took the gloss off David Fifita’s hat-trick after Benji Marshall inspired a South Sydney comeback on the Gold Coast Friday night.

Fifita bulldozed his way to his second hat-trick of the season before another defensive debacle from the Titans allowed South Sydney to salvage a 40-30 win at Cbus Super Stadium.

Fifita’s first half treble helped the Titans to a 24-10 lead only for the mercurial Marshall to orchestrate a thrilling comeback victory against the ill-disciplined Gold Coast.

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David Fifita crossed for three tries in the first half. Picture: Jason O’Brien/NRL Photos

After losing 36-0 to Manly last week, the Titans have conceded 76 points across their past two games and need serious defensive improvements to challenge for a top eight berth in 2021.

Next Friday night’s Queensland derby at Suncorp Stadium will be Fifita’s first appearance in Brisbane since he sensationally quit the Broncos to sign a $3.5 million deal with the Titans.

Benji Marshall orchestrated South Sydney’s comeback. Picture: NRL Photo/Jason O’Brien

THE MILLION DOLLAR BABY

At halftime Fifita had busted 10 tackles and registered his second hat-trick of the year as the Titans bounced out to what should have been a match-winning lead.

Fifita has made Cbus Super Stadium his happy hunting ground, netting eight tries in only three games at his new home ground. He has scored nine tries, including two hat-tricks, in seven games this season to sit second in the NRL’s leading try-scorers for 2021.

The most remarkable thing about Fifita’s form is that opposition teams are powerless to stop him.

But Fifita didn’t touch the ball in the first 16 minutes of the second half as the Rabbitohs fought back and had little involvement for the rest of the match, with Titans coach Justin Holbrook questioning the refereeing.

Fifita showed great strength to hold his ball-carrying arm off the ground scoring this try. Picture: Jason O’Brien/NRL Photos

“In the first half we played some great footy and got ourselves a good lead, but in the second half we couldn’t get the ball or momentum to finish the game off,” he said.

“You need everything to go right to win games of footy. Right from the start, we had to use a captain’s challenge to get a try.

“When you’re playing a good side you can cop a lot of harsh decisions and six-agains for no reasons, things like that I find difficult to take.

“Dave was terrific scoring a hat-trick. Halftime hurt us. We had to start again and they did a much better job than us in the second half.”

David Fifita was unstoppable early. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

BENJI THE BRILLIANT BUNNY

Even at 36, Marshall is still one of the most exciting players in the NRL to watch.

Marshall was at his brilliant best as the Rabbitohs overcame a 24-10 halftime deficit to record their sixth straight victory with a 30-6 second-half rout.

Playing in his preferred five-eighth role following a reshuffle, Marshall scored two tries and set up another to celebrate his 331st NRL game with a victory.

Dane Gagai celebrates a try. Picture: NRL Photo/Jason O'Brien

Marshall came to Redfern as a cut-price utility this season and is proving to be an astute signing as coach Wayne Bennett chases a premiership farewell.

“I keep reading about clubs that have overhauls of players, he was a guy that nobody wanted,” Bennett said.

“He’s been wonderful for us. He is an average guy, down to earth. He knows his game really well, he knows the processes.

“He brings a lot of experience and he’s in a good team which helps him play better as well.

“We were just off (in the first half), it happens, we were brave enough to come back and win the second half.

“We had to do something, we were heading into the abyss. We had a chance to regather ourselves and the first 10 minutes of the second half sealed the game for us.”

THE MILLION DOLLAR DILEMMA

Holbrook has a big decision to make on five-eighth Ash Taylor.

Taylor’s infamous $1 million-a-season contract expires this year and his form does not warrant an extension.

After off-season hip surgery, Taylor has looked slow, sluggish and struggles to change direction, making him a defensive liability.

Even when he poked through the line, Taylor had to quickly pass because he didn’t have the speed to keep going.

Holbrook is willing to give Taylor time to prove he is worthy of a new deal on the Gold Coast but a big call needs to be made.

Holbrook has Tanah Boyd and youngster Toby Sexton waiting for a crack in the halves and has also shown interest in Broncos dynamo Kotoni Staggs.

The Titans were on the back foot in the second half and no-one was able to stand up and take charge.