Titans stun Manly as Cherry-Evans fails to fire
Joel Gould |
Gold Coast captain Kieran Foran has outplayed his former Manly halves partner Daly Cherry-Evans to inspire one of the best Titans victories of all-time.
The 28-8 win at Robina on Friday night was a hammer blow to the Sea Eagles, but even worse was the loss of star back-rower Haumole Olakau’atu with a dislocated right shoulder.
Manly choked, as they had done in their previous four away games when favourites against lowly-ranked opponents.
Gold Coast were decimated with 11 players unavailable, nine with injury and two in State of Origin camps.
“I needed a big one tonight. I returned from injury and have been a bit quiet,” Foran said.
“I’m just happy we got the win. Personally, I stepped it up a notch.
“I’m extremely proud. We started well and I thought we threw the ball around really nicely in the first half.
“We were able to capitalise with a few tries. I’m even more proud of the second half.”
Manly had no Origin representatives for the first time since 2015.
The expectation before the match was that Sea Eagles skipper Cherry-Evans would respond to his Queensland axing and lead his side to victory, particularly with star fullback Tom Trbojevic back in the side from injury.
It didn’t pan out that way. Cherry-Evans, apart from one try assist, was underwhelming.
He was philosophical rather than bitter about his Origin axing after 26 games and 19 as captain of the Maroons.
“The start of the week was tough,” Cherry-Evans said.
“On Sunday, I got the news and on Monday I had to go to training and face the boys.
“After that it honestly started to feel normal.
“The initial news was tough but I moved on and thought we were going to come here and play some good footy. Based on our preparation, it looked like all the signs were there.
“Unfortunately, the most important part of the week is showing up on game day and we didn’t do that.”
Titans second-rower Beau Fermor, also dropped by the Maroons for game two, sent a strong message to coach Billy Slater that he got it all wrong.
Fermor had a blinder, saving a try with a last ditched effort to stop Olakau’atu from scoring in a play where he was also injured.
Gold Coast stunned the visitors to lead 22-8 at halftime.
Manly centre Reuben Garrick crashed over early in his 150th game and added a second during the half, but the opening 40 minutes belonged to Foran.
The 34-year-old 2011 premiership winner wound back the clock and sent flying winger Allan Fitzgibbon over with a stellar cutout pass.
Foran and former Manly gun Brian Kelly sent speed demon Alofiana Khan-Pereira in for his 50th try in his 52nd match, the equal-quickest to the milestone in the NRL era.
Khan-Pereira was in again for his second after beating five Manly defenders.
When Titans fullback AJ Brimson carved through the defence to send half Jayden Campbell in under the sticks Manly were looking like a rabble.
Brimson has destroyed Manly in the past and he did so again in a brilliant display.
Train and trial second-rower Josh Patston made his NRL debut off the bench for the hosts while development list prop Tukimihia Simpkins, formerly with Wests Tigers, was on club debut.
Titans back-rower Chris Randall iced the win with a second-half try on the back of a monumental defensive effort.
AAP
