Out-of-favour Gold Coast speedster Josh Hoffman, told he is free to talk to NRL rivals if he wants an early release, inspired the Titans to trade a top-eight place with St George Illawarra as the Dragons faithful jeered their side with the finals puzzle becoming murkier.
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Titans punish the Dragons
Gold Coast Titans have moved inside the top 8 after hammering St George Illawarra Dragons 32-12.
Reported to be one of four high-profile stars given permission to explore his options for 2017 despite being under contract, the jet-heeled former Bronco put NRL rivals on notice with a five-star display in his 150th NRL match against a lacklustre Dragons.Â
Hoffman helped set up two tries and menaced a patched-together St George Illawarra, missing Josh Dugan (jaw) and Benji Marshall (hamstring), as the competition's surprise packet edged past their rivals on for-and-against and into the finals reckoning with a 32-12 ambush at UOW Jubilee Oval.
Sections of the meagre 8256 crowd spilled for the exit gates as early as Nene McDonald's 90-metre intercept try midway through the second half, which completed a brace for the ex-Rooster, as the Titans easily recorded their biggest ever win against the Dragons.
St George Illawarra have been outstripped 68-18 in their last two losses against Manly and the Gold Coast – both sides who were outside the eight at the time – and their awful points differential is likely to hamper their post-season aspirations.
A blackout might have blighted the Dragons' first home game at Kogarah for the season – and they might lament this game as the one where the switch was finally flicked on their finals aspirations.
It would be unfair to take anything away from the Titans though, whose mentor Neil Henry must surely be in the NRL Coach of the Year conversation given pre-season predictions they would be wooden spoon contenders.
They led as early as the fourth minute and never looked like relinquishing the buffer. The result was slightly soured with State of Origin discard Greg Bird, the most suspended active player in the competition, on report for a high shot on Gareth Widdop.
Already missing Dugan, who underwent surgery earlier on Friday to mend a broken jaw suffered in State of Origin III, the Dragons felt Marshall's absence from what was supposed to be his 250th NRL game most keenly.
His replacement, Josh McCrone, skewed a kick over the sideline on the full with his first touch and the hosts proceeded to not touch the ball for the next 10 minutes, during which the Titans piled on tries through McDonald and Chris McQueen.
McDonald out-leapt former Titan Kalifa Faifai Loa, who left the fray with a bloodied nose from a Hoffman head clash, to score off Tyrone Roberts' kick before Ash Taylor set up McQueen for the softest of tries.
Kurt Mann responded for the Dragons when he stretched out to score the first of his two tries when no one thought it likely, but it was only brief respite for the underwhelming Dragons with Hoffman slicing through to set up Nathan Peats.
The Dragons only had use of the ball once in the first half before surrendering points – and a familiar theme followed in the second stanza.
This time it was David Mead eventually profiting from another Roberts bomb arrowed into Faifai Loa's corner, batted back by Hoffman for Agnatius Paasi.
And when McDonald latched onto a stray Widdop pass with the Dragons threatening it became almost a procession with fellow winger Anthony Don also touching down with a long range effort.
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