NRL Magic Round 2025: Bulldogs 38 d. Titans 18

Amid injuries, sin bins and some excellent tries, Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz put his hand up for a NSW Origin jersey with a strong hat-trick against the Titans – spelling more trouble for their coach Des Hasler.

Pressure is building on Gold Coast coach Des Hasler after a Jacob Kiraz hat-trick inspired the Bulldogs’ 38-18 Magic Round mauling of the Titans on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.

Hasler was trumpeted as the coach who would finally bring success to the Coast but he will soon be fighting to save his job unless the terrible Titans can snap out of a form crisis that has them languishing in the bottom three.

Hasler was left to digest the pain of a fifth consecutive defeat as the Bulldogs hit back from their 42-18 loss to the Broncos to remain ladder leaders following a six-try stitch-up.

Kiraz opened the scoring in the fifth minute before burying the Titans with a second-half brace as Bulldogs teammates Stephen Crichton and Jacob Preston ripped the Coast apart on the edges.

Jacob Kiraz has put himself in the Origin frame. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

DES-ASTER

Hasler is contracted until the end of 2026 but his future will become a vexing issue if the Titans continue to be a rabble.

His decision to drop star back-rower David Fifita on the eve of the Bulldogs clash sums up the chaos on the Coast.

Asked about Fifita’s axing, Hasler said: “He just had to review some areas, and he had some thinking to do with some areas.

“So we’ll assess that, and we’ll go again.”

Gold Coast players should offer a public apology to their long-suffering fans. The club has no backbone, nor the steely mindset that wins premierships.

Their defence is woefully weak. It only takes a sliver of sustained pressure from opposition teams to crack a Titans defensive unit that has leaked 186 points in the past five games.

Hasler has now won 10 of 32 games for a 31 per cent win record. His predecessor Justin Holbrook had a superior 37pc record and delivered a finals campaign.

SKIPPER’S KNOCK

Stephen Crichton had a strong game. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Forwards win most matches but Canterbury’s back five were outstanding. Aside from Kiraz, who posted 181m, the Bulldogs’ backline was slick, with fullback Connor Tracey a constant menace with a try, 193m and nine tackle busts.

Skipper Crichton oozed class out wide, tormenting opposite Brian Kelly as he stormed to 134 metres, including two try assists to help Kiraz to a treble.

Ahead 14-8 at halftime, it wasn’t a vintage performance from the Dogs, but whenever the Titans opened the door in attack, they capitalised.

“We let them get away after halftime with three tries in 10 minutes,” Hasler said.

TINO TRICKERY

Titans skipper Tino Fa’asumaleaui delivered the greatest trick of Magic Round.

Gold Coast appeared to be trapped in Canterbury’s 20-metre zone when Fa’asuamaleaui produced an ad hoc chip-and-chase in the 31st minute which shocked the Dogs.

The Dogs failed to defuse the kick, the ball spewed free and the Titans spun it wide to Phil Sami, who crossed to finish off a bizarre movement and whittle the Coast’s deficit to 12-8.

Big Tino is the heart of the soul of the Titans pack, playing a lone hand as he amassed 159 metres. Unfortunately, the skipper needs more Titans around him to lift.

POP-GUN BRIMSON

The Titans need more from AJ Brimson. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

The Titans need more from AJ Brimson. The jury remains out on whether Brimson will ever find his groove as a ball-running or distributing second receiver.

After halfback partner Tom Weaver was knocked out in the fifth minute, Brimson needed to step up and take control of the Coast’s attack. Instead, he had just four runs for nine metres in the first half as the Titans spluttered without an established playmaker.

Brimson produced a nice grubber kick in the 60th minute for Beau Fermor, who finished with a double as one of the Coast’s better players, but by the time AJ came alive, the game was gone.

Originally published as NRL Magic Round 2025: Bulldogs 38 d. Titans 18