Sharks disappointed by referee’s mistake in tackle count as Fifita claims origin of Titans’ upset triumph – The Roar

The Titans managed to defeat the Sharks 20-16 in Coffs Harbour, but the game looked anything but an underdog victory, with Gold Coast far superior for 70 minutes of the match.

Cronulla once again looked dazed in attack but finished at full throttle, leaving too little time, too late – starting an alarming trend for past competitors.

Former manager Kieran Foran led the Titans to a big club win, playing a remarkable first half to score a try and set up another moments later.

Hynes and his forward group did little to help themselves throughout the match, committing a series of unforced errors, while Siosifa Talakai was sent to the bench with a nasty shoulder charge.

Referee’s error costs Cronulla dearly

Early in the second half, as Cronulla attacked the Gold Coast goal line, centre Kayal Iro was dragged down in what was the fourth tackle of the series.

But referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski raised his arm to signal the final tackle, Bryadon Trindall rushed a high kick which sailed into the end zone and the attacking opportunity was lost, with the Titans also receiving a set of seven tackles.

Trailing 12-0 after narrowly missing points on a couple of occasions in the first half, the miscount was another hurdle for the Sharks in a game that ended with a four-point margin.

But they still had no one but themselves to blame for their defeat.

Hynes and the Sharks were unlucky early on, with the number 7 being pushed back on a borderline forward pass, while Will Kennedy was denied a try after placing the pill on Kini’s foot.

“It’s exactly the same as last week,” Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said. “Sometimes it’s fundamental mistakes and sometimes it’s discipline. It’s a pattern we have to address.”

“You can’t give up that much possession and position on the pitch and expect to win.”

“We just have to do our job better. The leaders are doing a better job and that’s a different story,” captain Cam McInnes said.

Keano Kini and Sam Verrills were the standouts for Hasler’s side, managing to get the Titans over the line despite being on the wrong side of the whistle in the second half.

Titans coach Des Hasler was proud of his team’s strong defensive performance.

“There were times when we had to get desperate on defense. The Sharks have players that move really well,” Hasler said. “That particular tackle by Jojo, it shows we’re going in the right direction. To string together wins like that is a good thing.”

Hasler was blunt about David Fifita’s chances at the Maroons, saying he could have a few Titans teammates joining him.

“He (Fifita) has to be in the mix. He might have a few mates with him too. I think Beau Fermor has played some really good football too. It’s good to have these selection issues,” Hasler said.

Foran Festival

Kieran Foran turned back the clock to help the Titans produce arguably their best performance of the season, without two of their big guns.

The 33-year-old got his walking shoes on from the start, beating Talakai and Blayke Brailey on the inside with a vintage show and start.

Gold Coast were expansive in their own half, spreading the ball wide to test the Sharks’ defensive line.

Foran then timed a perfect short ball for Chris Randall, gifting him an untouched try under the posts.

The veteran number 7 applied pressure throughout the match, leaving Cronulla with little territory or momentum.

He outplayed Trindall and Hynes, who apparently looked very nervous and lost once again.

Foran is confident he still has some great things in store. “I think I’ll do another tour if the club wants me to,” Foran said as Hasler nodded.

“I feel pretty healthy and I’m enjoying football. If the club wants me to get back playing, I certainly will. If I can stay physically fit, there’s no reason why I can’t continue playing.”

Cronulla their own enemy

The Sharks had the game to win. Even though the Titans were strong, Hynes and his men had every chance to take control of the game in the second half.

Royce Hunt ruined an early attacking opportunity by sticking his arm out to try and score in a tackle – but his lack of discipline destroyed their momentum and they lost possession.

Talakai was then reported and sent to the bench for a heavy hit on Sam Verrills. He made no attempt to cover his arms and hit the number 9 on the chin. He will be sidelined for a few more weeks.

Jack Williams had a shocking night. The substitute weapon was not dangerous at all. On the contrary, he made many handling errors at the wrong time.

Hynes and Trindall did their best, both scoring tries and the latter setting up Daniel Atkinson with a looping cut-out pass, but it was too late.

Atkinson was noticeably out of position on the wing and it hurt Cronulla. They lacked impact early in their passing and failed to find any spark in the fifth tackles.

Kini, a key member of the spine

Keano Kini needs to keep his place in the Titans squad. With his quick footwork and incredible athleticism, Kini was a threat all night.

The 20-year-old is too good a player not to play alongside Jayden Campbell and AJ Brimson.

The young prodigy was a real headache in the scrum and ran for 205 metres. He broke seven tackles and didn’t miss a single shot in defence.

Kini was part of a solid defensive effort by the Gold Coast. During a late push by the Sharks, Jojo Fifta made a remarkable save to stop a certain try by Ronaldo Mulitalo. The previous time, Trindall was stopped with an even better save.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira was the only weakness in the back line – placed on report for a trip that could have ended badly.