Across the park, the Warriors can be content with an all-in team effort, as the 42 points scored equalled the club’s highest score of the season so far.
With calls for Luke Metcalf to return to the side having grown louder after the loss to the Bulldogs, Te Maire Martin gave another reminder of his importance to the Warriors at No 7.
The halfback grabbed two tries – his third double of the season – to go with an assist, and 24 tackles on the other side of the ball. Deemed surplus to requirements on the Gold Coast, Alofiana Khan-Pereira grabbed another try, to go with another two assists of his own.
Meanwhile, the pair of Jacob Laban and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava were outstanding, making 39 and 35 tackles between them, to go with more than 100 running metres and one try apiece.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak celebrates Jacob Laban’s try against the Gold Coast Titans. Photo / Photosport
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak also had a day to remember, as his first-half score took him to 77 tries in Warriors colours, taking him to third-equal on the all-time list behind only Manu Vatuvei (152) and Shaun Johnson (79).
The Warriors won’t celebrate for long, though, as they prepare to meet serial premiers the Penrith Panthers at Go Media Stadium in six days’ time.
With concerns over the Warriors’ attack after being held to just six points against the Bulldogs, the start to the first half allayed any fears of an end-of-season fizzle out.
Watene-Zelezniak couldn’t open the scoring after intercepting a Jayden Campbell short ball, as he was hunted down by Kiwis fullback Keano Kini. But five minutes later, following back-to-back set restarts, Watene-Zelezniak was on hand to grab the first try with a simple overlap in the left corner.
And having needed six minutes to expose the Titans’ left flank, the Warriors needed another four to do the same on the right, as Khan-Pereira did the same.
The only blemish to the start came with Chanel Harris-Tavita missing two shots at goal. That was amended with the third try, though, as Harris-Tavita put the finishing touches on a Khan-Pereira linebreak, scoring under the posts to give himself a kick from straight in front for a 14-0 lead.
Facing a blowout in front of what was supposed to be a home crowd, the Titans hit back when Campbell sent Arama Hau over for the hosts’ first points of the afternoon.
That 14-point buffer was restored before the break, though, as Khan-Pereira latched onto a crossfield kick from Erin Clark, of all players, before finding Leka Halasima unmarked inside him to score the Warriors’ fourth.
And once Hau made a mess of a play-the-ball in front of the Titans’ 10m line, Martin sent Laban over in the final minutes of the half and the Warriors completed the first 40 minutes with a 26-6 lead.
Alofiana Khan-Pereira scores against the Gold Coast Titans. Photo / Photosport
While the result was effectively sealed in the first half, the Warriors didn’t relent in the second. A short ball from co-captain Mitch Barnett gave Ieremia-Toeava his first try of the season, before the Titans’ cause was further hampered when AJ Brimson was sent to the sinbin for a professional foul in stopping Martin from scoring.
The Warriors would have to work for that next try – Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad had one ruled out for obstruction, while James Fisher-Harris was held up over the line – only for Martin to finally grab the seventh, and then the eighth with simple runs into gaps, as the Warriors’ score went past 40.
But with the club’s highest score of the season in sight, Laban couldn’t hang on to a crossfield kick that would have allowed him to dot down unopposed.
However, with bigger fish to fry this season, the Warriors will be more than content as they return home.
Warriors 42 (Watene-Zelezniak, Khan-Pereira, Harris-Tavita, Halasima, Laban, Ieremia-Toeava, Martin 2 tries; Harris-Tavita 5 conversions)
Titans 6 (Hau try; Campbell conversion)
H/T: 26-6
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.