The New Zealand Warriors have made a statement on Saturday afternoon, dismantling the Titans 42-6 at Cbus Super Stadium to keep their home final hopes alive.
It’s been Freaky Friday between these two sides over the past month, the Titans winning two of their last three while the Warriors have managed just three wins in their last seven games as they begin to slip away from a top two finish.
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Despite their respective formlines, ladder position fell back into place in the opening minutes, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak picking up 60-metres from an intercept in their first defensive set, before crossing for the opener moments later.
What seemed a training run saw Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad shift it right, allowing Ali Leiataua to draw, pass, and send DWZ over the white line for an early 4-0 advantage.
Former Titan’s flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira doubled the lead just minutes later, Chanel Harris-Tavira straightening the attack on last play before hitting fill-in centre Leka Halasima, unleashing Khan-Pereira in the corner.
It was a bold move to drop Adam Pompey to the pine in favour of edge forward Halasima, however the 20-year-old wrecking ball looked right at home out wide.
Khan-Pereira went from scorer to assister not long after notching his own four-pointer, this time leaving Gold Coast defenders on ice skates in his own half, blitzing through the defensive line to send Harris-Tavita under the sticks.
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While the Titans were certainly outenthused in the first 20 minutes, they wouldn’t die wondering, notching points of their own on the back of a Wahs’ error.
After nearly slipping through the line via Phil Sami, it would be rookie Arama Hau crashing over courtesy of a line ball from Jayden Campbell, though the home side’s joy would be short-lived.
A pin-point kick, from Erin Clark no less, landed straight in Khan-Pereira’s lap, the winger offloading to Halasima to crash over, extending the lead to a 20-6 scoreline.
It went from bad to worse minutes before half-time, this time Te Maire Martin showing, going, digging into the line before sending Jacob Laban over for their fifth try of the opening stanza.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of the Warriors celebrates a try. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Last week’s 18-6 loss to Canterbury had pundits questions the Warriors’ halves pairing heading into the finals, some questioning whether parachuting Luke Metcalf in for a week or two could be the answer they need.
It didn’t take long for Harris-Tavita and Martin to silence their critics, however it was an unusual culprit setting up the first try of the second-half.
After setting up camp in the Titans’ red zone, it took just a simple short ball from Mitch Barnett to send bench forward Eddie Ieremia-Toeava through a gap for just his second career try, and extending the Warriors lead out to 26.
Errors would slowly creep in, Khan-Pereira and Halasima trading errors down their left-edge once complacency began to seep in for the away side.
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Martin seemed to be dragged down inches of the last off a New Zealand break, only for the Bunker to deem Brimson tackled the halfback without the ball, sending the Gold Coast centre to the sheds for ten minutes.
Titans would control the football for the majority of the sin bin period, however that wouldn’t Te Maire Martin’s show-and-go getting him across the line moments before Brimson returned to the field.
It opened it up for a sloppy final 15 minutes of play, Martin’s second solo try, this time on the left side, pushing the score out to 42-6 in favour of the away side, which is what it would finish up as.
Laban was denied a double in the final 30 seconds of the afternoon, ending the Titans’ slim finals hopes while keeping the Warriors’ chase of a top-two finish alive.
Phillip Sami of the Titans looks on. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BIG HITS
WARRIORS SPINE SET FOR SEPTEMBER
There’s been some decent sized question marks over the Warriors’ spine this last month, however the likes of Nicoll-Klokstad, Egan, Martin and Harris-Tavita undoubtedly put those fears to bed on Saturday afternoon.
Their halves combined for three tries and CNK ran for just short of 300 metres, but the real star of the show of late has been Wayde Egan, and the way the crafty hooker manages to bring his forwards onto the ball.
Their formline may rise and fall before finals start, but there’s no doubting that this spine is the one Andrew Webster must carry into the finals.
HARRISON INJURY A CRUEL BLOW
One key piece for the Titans over the past two months has been the rise and rise of Zane Harrison, the young Gold Coast half a central reason as to why they’ve won four of their last seven.
Having now escaped the clutches of the dreaded wooden spoon, losing Harrison to a hamstring injury just minutes before full-time is a kick in the teeth for the struggling Queensland club.
Still a short-priced favourite to be named Dally M Rookie of the Year, it takes a lot of shine out of the Titans’ final five games of the season.
Wahs hit back with Gold Coast demolition | 02:29
UNHERALDED HEROES KEY FOR WAHS’ MIDDLE
When you talk about the Warriors forward pack, you’re talking about names like Barnett, Fisher-Harris, Clark and Ford, however it was ‘the other guys’ that really made a dent on Saturday.
The likes of Tanner Stowers-smith and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava changed the momentum off the bench, the former making 85 metres from just six runs with the footy in hand.
JUDICIARY WATCH
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was placed on report for a cannon ball style in the first half. He has only one charge (shoulder charge) in the past 12 months.
STAT ATTACK (via Fox Lab)
Warriors stay in the hunt for a top two position with three wins from their last four games. Haven’t finished first or second on the ladder since claiming the minor Premiership in 2002.
Warriors biggest win of the season, and equal biggest win in Australia since 2013. Third time they have scored 42 points in 2026 and fourth time scoring 40 plus – have done so five times only once in 2014.
The Titans winning streak ends at two – they haven’t won three straight games since the middle of 2024. First time they have been held to single figures since late in 2024 (0-44 v Sharks Rd 23).
Three straight wins for the Warriors over the Titans – their biggest win and highest score against them since 2014 (42-0 Rd 25).
Warriors made 12 linebreaks to five and ran for almost 1900 metres (most since early in 2024) – more than 700 more metres than the Titans.
Fox Lab POTM – Te Maire Martin scored the third double of his career – his second this season (v Dragons in Rd 12). He had a hand in two other tries and made 27 tackles.
The Warriors dominated the game.Source: FOX SPORTS
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