New Zealand Warriors v Gold Coast Titans - result, report, commentary and highlights

Michael Di Lonardo

•
New Zealand Warriors v Gold Coast Titans - result, report, commentary and highlights image

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS HIGHLIGHTS

Stephen Kearney's drastic line-up changes have paid off as his team responded from consecutive defeats with a dominant 26-10 win over the Titans.

Debutant Chanel Harris-Tavita learned his trade under the wing of the spectacular Blake Green who racked up two try assists and controlled the tempo of the game.

Harris-Tavita kicked five from six goals and showcased his thrilling sidestep, making a number of promising runs that supported Kearney's decision to replace Adam Keighran.

The Titans remain the only winless side in the competition and their attack was yet again their kryptonite, managing just 36 points in the first month of the season.

Halves pairing Ashley Taylor and Tyrone Roberts did little to solve their issues, but AJ Brimson was a spark at the back when he entered the contest late in the second half.

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS - LIVE BLOG

80th minute: The hooter sounds and the Warriros have bounced back off two thumpings to produce one of their own. The Titans remain the only winless team after four rounds. Warriors win 26-10.

79th minute: The Warriors get six-again after Tyrone Peachey fumbles it whhile trying to recover the ball from a bomb.

76th minute: Aaaand Cartwright makes up for it with a cracking shot to force the ball out. Titans get the ball back.

75th minute: Attempting an offload, Bryce Cartwright spills the ball.

74th minute: Gold Coast win the short kick-off. Still need three converted tries.

73rd minute: TRY! Tohu Harris brushes off Brian Kelly and Ashley Taylor to get on the scoreboard with a brilliant individual effort. Warriors lead 26-10.


 

72nd minute: The Titans try a short drop-out but it is fielded by the Warriors.

71st minute: Blake Green forces another drop-out, chasing his own kick to keep Brian Kelly in the in-goal.

70th minute: Jai Arrow drops it after a bruising hit from Adam Blair. You would think that would be one of their last chances to get back into the contest.

68th minute: What about that step! Chanel Harris-Tavita schools the Titans defence with a brilliant step but is chased down by Jai Arrow. Titans hang on and get a penalty in the next set.

66th minute: Shocker kick from Ashley Taylor on third tackle swings momentum the other way just as they were getting back into the contest.

65th minute: BACK-TO-BACK! The Titans swing it right and Brian Kelly finds an open Anthony Don who rarely doesn't finish from that distance. Poor read from Ken Maumalo. Warriors lead 20-10. Conversion missed.


63rd minute: AJ Brimson has made a huge difference. Off a repeat set they go the distance and a Brimson grubber is knocked on by David Fusitu'a. Another set of six on the Warriors' line.

60th minute: In true Gold Coast style, ad-lid football pays off. Tyrone Roberts grubbers, retains the football, swings it to AJ Brimson, cuts back to Daley Copley who has his work cut out for him, dodges four defenders and finds the line. Warriors lead 20-6.


 

58th minute: Gold Coast force a drop-out and there's a chance for some consolation points.

56th minute: Brian Kelly chances his arm with an offload but it goes straight into touch. Another rough night for the Gold Coast.

55th minute: AJ Brimson has entered the contest and provided an energy boost. The Titans force a drop out after a grubber is nearly pounced on by Bryce Cartwright.

50th minute: Blake Green pops a gorgeous inside pass to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who eats up 30 metres, dodges Michael Gordon and finds the try-line. Warriors lead 20-0.


44th minute: Blake Green puts in a lovely grubber that is fielded by the Titans but the referee gives a poor penalty to the Warriors as Keegan Hipgrave is pinged for obstructing the kicker. Rubbish call. Warriors take the two and lead 14-0.

41st minute: KICK-OFF! We're back underway at Mt Smart Stadium.

40th minute: The hooter sounds and the first half is done and dusted. The Titans look atrocious for the fourth week in a row as they completed at 56 per cent while the Warriors completed at 89 per cent. It is nine errors to two in favour of the away side.

37th minute: Warriors strike again! Poor defence from Dale Copley is caught out by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who sees the Titans winger charge in, passing the ball to an open David Fusitu'a who scores in the corner. Conversion missed. Warriors lead 12-0.


 

33rd minute: Ouch! Moeaki Fotuiaka cleans up Blake Green with an ugly diving tackle at the legs, similar to Matt Lodge's but far less dangerous. The Warriors are given a penalty and they take the two. Warriors lead 8-0.

32nd minute: Every time the Titans get in the red-zone they make an error. Michael Gordon throws a careless forward pass to Dale Copley and turns it over. The chances are there, but their attack is moving sideways.

28th minute: Michael Gordon makes a sneaky break but when they swing it out wide Tyrone Peachey fumbles it. Warriors lead 6-0.

27th minute: Bunty Afoa gives away a cheap penalty and the Titans are out of trouble again.

26th minute: David Fusitu'a flies through the air and passes it to Solomone Kata who almost twists his way over the line but is stopped by Bryce Cartwright.

25th minute: Tyrone Roberts throws a wayward pass to the ground and Solomone Kata pounces on halfway. Warriors on the assault.

23rd minute: Bryce Cartwright passes to the ground and it is scooped up by the Warriors.

22nd minute: Cracking tackle from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to save an Anthony Don try. The next play Ashley Taylor chips it wide to Dale Copley who hits it backwards, it is then kicked out by New Zealand. Titans scrum. Watch below.


 

 

21st minute: A relieving penalty for the Titans as New Zealand are pinged for offside. They enter New Zealand territory.

20th minute: Harris-Tavita throws a nice dummy and almost squeezes through on last tackle but  he is stopped in his tracks. Handover.

18th minute: Michael Gordon drops it cold with no pressure on him. Warriors scrum 20 metres out.

16th minute: Good hustle from mitch Rein who bats back and offload into Titans hands, however Jarrod Wallace spills it at the play-the-ball shortly after.

15th minute: The Titans look dangerous with second phase play, but a miscommunication from Tyrone Roberts and Dale Copley sees the playmaker throw it into touch. Missed chance.

11th minute: Blake Green throws a risky cut-out pass but it turns out to be perfect, avoiding an intercept chance as Peta Hiku slices through for the first try. Warriors lead 6-0. Chanel Harris-Tavita is kicking on debut.


 

10th minute: Ken Maumalo earns his side a penalty with a barging run. Holding down the player.

8th minute: The Titans have put in a number of poor kicks. In the ensuing set, Chanel Tavita-Harris makes a nice run on his first touch. Back-and-forth at the moment.

6th minute: Ashley Taylor grubbers it into the chest of Solomone Kata. Warriors hold on again.

4th minute: Solomone Kata throws a forward pass. Titans scrum on halfway.

2nd minute: Warriors defence proves sturdy for now as the Titans attack moves laterally in their first attacking set.

6.00PM: KICK-OFF! The Warriors kick it out-on-the-full after Ashley Taylor brilliantly keeps a foot on the line while making a play at the ball.

5.10pm: Lachlan Burr has been promoted to lock in place of Adam Blair who will take a seat on the bench. The Titans will line up 1-17.

5.00pm: The lads have arrived!


 

3.33pm: Ashley Taylor will make his first appearance for the year in a much-needed attacking boost.


 

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS - PREVIEW

A fixture for the apologists, the last-placed Titans head across the ditch to face the 12th-placed Warriors for their first win of the season. Having run around like a headless chook for the past three weeks, the Titans finally have some direction with Ashley Taylor (quad) and Tyrone Roberts (Achilles) to make their first appearance as a combination in 2019. But they will have to shake off a horrific record, losing 13 of their last 16 games to the Warriors and seven of their last eight at Mt Smart Stadium. Coming off an embarrassing 46-12 thrashing at the hands of Manly, the Warriors have also seen a change in their halves with Stephen Kearney calling on Chanel Harris-Tavita to make his NRL debut. The club's decision to release Shaun Johnson and back-up Mason Lino is closely under the spotlight after Kearney's quick backflip and more sctuiny could follow with a defeat possibly seeing them trade places with the Titans at the bottom of the ladder.

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS TEAM LIST

1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) 2 David Fusitu’a 3 Peta Hiku 4 Solomone Kata 5 Ken Maumalo 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita 7 Blake Green 8 Agnatius Paasi 9 Karl Lawton 10 Leeson Ah Mau 11 Isaiah Papali’i 12 Tohu Harris 13 Lachlan Burr Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga 15 Bunty Afoa 16 Adam Blair 17 Ligi Sao

Players cut: 21 Adam Keighran 22 Blake Ayshford 18 Gerard Beale 20 Leivaha Pulu

New Zealand Warriors team news: Chanel Harris-Tavita will make his NRL debut after Stephen Kearney sensationally dropped Adam Keighran just three rounds into his young career. Karl Lawton will share the hooker duties with Jazz Tevaga while Issac Luke recovers from a hamstring injury. Isaiah Papali'i starts for the second consecutive week with Adam Blair playing lock.

GOLD COAST TITANS TEAM LIST

1 Michael Gordon 2 Anthony Don 3 Tyrone Peachey 4 Brian Kelly 5 Dale Copley 6 Tyrone Roberts 7 Ash Taylor 8 Jarrod Wallace 9 Mitch Rein 10 Ryan James 11 Kevin Proctor 12 Bryce Cartwright 13 Jai Arrow. Interchange: 14 AJ Brimson 15 Moeaki Fotuaika 16 Shannon Boyd 17 Keegan Hipgrave. Reserves: 18 Max King 19 Phillip Sami

Players cut: 20 Ryley Jacks 21 Jai Whitbread

Gold Coast Titans team news: The Titans finally have some direction with Ashley Taylor and Tyrone Roberts rekindling their combination for the first time in 2019. Mitch Rein starts at hooker in light of Nathan Peats' pectoral injury, with AJ Brimson coming off the bench in the utility role. Ryan James moves back to prop while Garth Brennan puts his faith back into Bryce Cartwright to come into the second-row.

Michael Di Lonardo

Michael Di Lonardo Photo