The Gold Coast Titans delivered a surprising performance on Friday night, defeating the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28-8 at Robina Stadium. This victory marked a significant turnaround for the Titans, who entered the match having lost eight of their last nine NRL games. The win is a big confidence booster but it’s an indication of their ability to grow over the course of the season.
Despite their struggles, the Titans came out strong, scoring four tries before halftime, including standout performances from AJ Brimson and Alofiana Khan-Pereira. The Sea Eagles, on the other hand, faced challenges throughout the match, struggling to capitalize on their opportunities and ultimately suffering consecutive losses to teams at the bottom of the ladder.
Strong Start for the Titans
The Titans’ first two possessions of the game were their worst. As a result, they gave up the opening try just five minutes into the match. They soon refocused and put on a display of skill, teamwork, and artistry to watch! AJ Brimson was electric, running a game-high 260 meters from the backfield off 20 carries. His remarkable show of power was pivotal in sparking his team’s offensive explosion.
Kieran Foran praised his teammates, stating, “I thought we threw the ball around really nicely in the first half.” The Titans’ offensive stars aligned and they took advantage of every opportunity. Jayden Campbell and Alofiana Khan-Pereira both scored scintillating individual tries in the match. With those two touchdowns, Khan-Pereira became the joint-fastest player to 50 NRL tries, having played just 52 games to achieve that landmark.
The Titans continued their offensive explosion while earning an impressive defensive shutout during the second half. As a result, they managed to shut out Manly from the scoreboard. Once they zeroed in on this vital element of their strategy, their goal was to create a wave forward that would take them through the rest of the season.
Struggles for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
From start to finish, the Sea Eagles struggled mightily, and captain Daly Cherry-Evans agreed that his team “wasn’t good enough” on the night. “I think the beginning of the week was very difficult,” he confessed, pointing to the rough stretch that they had to overcome before this matchup. Cherry-Evans was wasteful with field position and made some terribly misguided attempts applying the boot and dead-ended progress of his side.
Manly’s struggles were compounded by injuries, including Haumole Olakau’atu’s dislocated shoulder while attempting to score a try in the second half. The Sea Eagles have now lost consecutive matches to teams at the bottom of the ladder, raising concerns about their performance and direction as they move forward.
Coach has emphasized the need for improvement. “Our effort from our forwards in particular in the last two weeks hasn’t been anywhere near what we expect.”
Looking Ahead
The Titans toasted their fourth victory of 2023. Widespread as this victory was, it was indicative of a broader shift in their negative performance trajectory. They’ll use this momentum as they continue on to their next games. Their aim is to work towards a more fruitful second half of the season.
At the same time, the semi-finalists from last season will need to recover and rectify their deficiencies to prevent further disappointment. For the first time in a decade, Origin will step onto the pitch without an ambassador. This absence has led to questions about the team’s current make up, even with key players such as Tom Trbojevic and Jason Saab set to return.
