Dogs bite back to bury Titans 22-16 on the Gold Coast
Pressure is mounting on Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan after a Kieran Foran inspired Canterbury ensured the Titans slumped to their worst start to a season in the club’s history.
Bulldogs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bulldogs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
HUGE COST: Fears ruling could leave de Belin bankrupt
LATE MAIL: Young Eel earns reprieve, Fifita in doubt
Pressure is mounting on Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan after a Kieran Foran inspired Canterbury ensured the Titans slumped to their worst start to a season in the club’s history.
The Bulldogs were all spirit and fight in their road-trip victory, scoring 22 unanswered points - which included keeping the Titans scoreless for the final 63-minutes of the match.
With only next season remaining on his current contract, Brennan is desperately in need of results with the grim reality of being the first Titans team to boast just two wins after 10-rounds.
MORE NRL NEWS
KENT: DE BELIN RULING ALLOWS NRL TO PLAN FOR FUTURE
JAI FIELD FEELS THE NEED FOR FEED AND SPEED
THE OLD FOZ
It was there in glimpses last week in his comeback from six weeks out with injury.
But on Saturday, former Kiwi half Kieran Foran went to another level as the epitome of control, class and execution.
Trailing the Titans 16-0 nil after 17-minutes, the Dogs were their own worst enemy as they came up with four errors and 10 missed tackles inside the first 20-minutes.
All Foran needed was some possession - and once he did, he went about calmly slicing and dicing the Titans defence.
In all, Foran laid on three of the Bulldogs four tries.
His 25-metre cut-out pass for winger Jayden Okunbor to score his first of two tries in the 32nd minute was pure quality.
Be it was his passing, intent to take on the line or astute kicking game - highlighted best by his try-assist for Marcelo Montoya in the first-half - Foran gave the Dogs hope, both throughout the match and undoubtedly for the week’s ahead.
COG IN THE WHEEL
Young Jack Cogger showed he can become the future for Canterbury with his best performance in a blue and white jumper.
The son of former Magpies favourite Trevor Cogger, the 21-year-old is forming an increasingly comfortable combination with Foran.
He has a good long kick and showed smart vision to link with his speed men. But the good players show no fear taking on the defensive line.
And when the game was in the balance with 10-minutes remaining it was the young halfback who double-dummied, pushed past Titans duo Tyrone Roberts and Brian Kelly, to score his first try for the club.
“We didn’t start well, but to our credit we stayed in the game and stuck to our plan and got over the line.
LISTEN! The major issues with young halfbacks, what’s wrong with the Panthers and Wayne Bennett’s big TV idea. Join Matty Johns, Kenty and Brett Finch for the best podcast in the game.
“The last couple of weeks we’ve had some really tough efforts, we’ve been a bit unlucky, but we showed up again today and got the two points.
“Dean (Pay) gave us a bit of a rev-up at halftime, but we stuck to our processes to get back in the game.
“We just needed a win. Everyone knows what a win can do to your confidence and hopefully we can carry that into next week.’’
CANTERBURY 22 (J Okunbor 2 J Cogger M Montoya tries N Meaney 3 goals) bt GOLD COAST 16 (D Copley2 tries A Taylor 4 goals) at Cbus Super Stadium. Referee: Peter Gough, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski. Crowd: 10,105.
Originally published as Dogs bite back to bury Titans 22-16 on the Gold Coast
Maroons’ raiders flood SG Ball, Harold Matthews junior reps
Who were the Maroons’ raiders embedded deep in enemy territory playing in the SG Ball and Harold Matthews competitions? Revealed here, along with Queensland’s best female teens at Sydney clubs.
Every NRL club’s best 17, scouting report for the 2025 season
For teams like the Tigers, Eels and Dragons, there are plenty of fresh faces set to transform their line-up in 2025. We reveal every NRL club’s best 1-17 for the upcoming season.