Paul Gallen has last laugh in Magic opener against Gold Coast Titans

He’s one of the most hated figures in Suncorp Stadium history, but Paul Gallen had the last laugh against the Titans in a dominant performance for the Sharks.

Paul Gallen turned in a captain’s hand in probably his last game at Suncorp Stadium to leave his field of nightmares on a winning note.

An injury-hit Cronulla, who lost Andrew Fifita to a hamstring problem after six minutes, produced another disciplined match to consign Gold Coast to a seventh loss in the first nine rounds.

Titans performance chief Mal Meninga this week publicly urged the battling team needed to “kick our season off again’’.

But Cronulla sent the Titans back to another re-set with a disciplined 26-18 win to open the Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium.

Paul Gallen tells the crowd to quieten down after the game. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

It is only the second time in the Titans’ history that a season of theirs has started so badly after nine rounds.

Gallen wrapped up the win with a barging 80th minute try.

In the absence of Fifita and also prop Matt Prior (shoulder) after 20 minutes, Gallen tried hard, making 207 run metres.

“It was good to grind it out,’’ Gallen said.

“There was a guy named Cam Smith in the coffee shop and he said Paul Gallen doesn’t have to pay for a coffee in Queensland.’’

To celebrate only his fifth win in 26 matches in Brisbane over his 17-year career, the former Blues captain landed the conversion of his own try from beside the posts.

Gallen gets across for the final try of the match. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“I have a 100 per cent kicking record in my career and I’ve added to it,’’ Gallen said.

Titans coach Garth Brennan said the last 20 minutes by his team came down to “dumb’’ football.

“We are mentally soft at times and look for quick fixes. It’s a hard thing to say,’’ Brennan said.

“The guy (Tyrone Peachey) kicking the ball on play four (over a sideline), the penalties we were conceding. Our (number of) one-on-one missed tackles was poor and defence is attitude.

“It falls a little on our halves as well. Ash (Taylor) had his moments like some players did. Ash can’t wear it all by himself. He showed some good signs tonight. He lacked a little game management at times.

“We have to be smarter. Some of it is trying too hard. They are a dejected mob (in the dressing-rooms). We don’t handle pressure as well.’’

With the teams locked at 18-all, Titan Tyrone Peachey was penalised for holding down in the 74th minute and Kyle Flanagan’s penalty goal put the Sharks ahead 20-18.

Titans halfback Ash Taylor played his most influential half of a season challenged by form problems and injuries, with two try assists which sent Gold Coast into edged 18-10.

But Cronulla, who completed every set in the second half of their win over Melbourne last week, got to the last tackle in their first seven sets of the second half.

Tyrone Peachey celebrates a try. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Sharks halves Chad Townsend and Kyle Flanagan were in control late in their sets and had a pass apiece for the two tries scored by winger Aaron Gray to tie it up at 18-all.

Taylor was not able to take charge late in two sets in the last 15 minutes in Cronulla’s half, with centre Brian Kelly grubbering dead on one play and Peachey kicking over the sideline on the second.

The NRL’s first Magic Round started with a low-key game which drew a crowd of 17,113 with the help of 26 coachloads of Titans fans and members.

It contributed to a projected total attendance of more than 130,000 before the eighth and last fulltime siren on Sunday, including about 45,000 for tonight’s double-header.

Balancing the forwards attrition a little, Titans prop Shannon Boyd failed a head injury assessment soon after following his head clash in the 10th minute.

Taylor, the most lethal player in the NRL last year for try assists from kicks, laid on a perfectly weighted grubber for Gold Coast’s third try by Peachey to take an 18-10 lead into halftime.

Originally published as Paul Gallen has last laugh in Magic opener against Gold Coast Titans