Rugby League

St George-Illawarra Dragons
12
Gold Coast Titans
32
Full Time

Match Tracker

St George-Illawarra Dragons
Gold Coast Titans
H1
6
14

    St George-Illawarra Dragons Events

  • 17 mins - Try, K.Mann
  • 19 mins - Conversion, G.Widdop

    St George-Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans Events

  • 4 mins - Try, N.Macdonald
  • 9 mins - Try, C.McQueen
  • 27 mins - Try, N.Peats
  • 28 mins - Conversion, T.Roberts
H2
6
18

    St George-Illawarra Dragons Events

  • 80 mins - Try, K.Mann
  • 80 mins - Conversion, G.Widdop

    St George-Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans Events

  • 42 mins - Try, D.Mead
  • 43 mins - Conversion, T.Roberts
  • 56 mins - Try, N.Macdonald
  • 58 mins - Conversion, T.Roberts
  • 74 mins - Try, A.Don
  • 75 mins - Conversion, T.Roberts
ET
0
0

    St George-Illawarra Dragons Events

    St George-Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans Events

Scorers

St George-Illawarra Dragons
Gold Coast Titans
Goal Scorers St George-Illawarra Dragons Gold Coast Titans
Tries Mann (2) Macdonald (2), McQueen (1), Peats (1), Mead (1), Don (1)
Conversions Widdop (2/2) Roberts (4/5)
Penalty Goals
Field Goals

Team Statistics

St George-Illawarra Dragons
Gold Coast Titans

Statistics

St George-Illawarra Dragons Gold Coast Titans
Tries 2 6
Conversions 2 4
Penalty Goals 0 0
Field Goals 0 0
St George-Illawarra DragonsGoal Scorers
Players R RM OF LB TA K T MT PC ER
L.Ah Mau 10 98 0 0 0 0 19 1 0 0
E.Aitken 15 162 0 1 0 0 33 3 0 1
M.Cooper 8 75 0 0 0 0 19 1 0 0
J.de Belin 7 62 1 0 0 0 35 1 1 0
K.Faifai Loa 8 48 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0
T.Frizell 11 86 1 0 0 0 20 0 0 0
J.Host 9 67 0 0 0 0 41 5 0 0
T.Lafai 10 57 2 0 1 0 15 1 1 1
K.Mann 7 72 0 2 0 0 6 1 0 0
J.Marketo 4 48 1 1 0 0 23 1 1 0
J.McCrone 3 19 0 0 0 9 17 4 0 1
J.Nightingale 20 175 1 0 1 1 7 0 0 0
R.Packer 9 72 1 0 0 0 25 1 1 0
M.Rein 4 39 0 0 0 0 41 2 0 1
T.Sims 12 98 0 0 0 0 26 0 0 0
J.Thompson 17 144 0 0 0 0 33 1 0 1
G.Widdop 13 117 1 0 0 12 12 2 0 2
Gold Coast TitansGoal Scorers
Players R RM OF LB TA K T MT PC ER
G.Bird 13 126 0 0 0 0 31 2 1 0
A.Don 11 119 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 1
L.Douglas 11 100 0 0 0 0 29 1 0 0
N.Friend 1 6 0 0 0 0 28 1 0 0
J.Hoffman 15 170 0 1 1 0 6 1 0 0
K.Hurrell 15 167 1 1 1 0 9 3 0 0
R.James 12 102 1 0 0 0 26 0 0 0
N.Macdonald 14 225 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 1
C.McQueen 9 77 0 1 0 0 43 5 0 1
D.Mead 15 149 0 1 0 0 8 1 0 1
A.Paasi 8 74 2 0 1 0 10 0 1 0
N.Peats 7 66 0 0 0 1 44 1 0 1
E.Pettybourne 5 41 1 0 0 0 22 0 0 0
L.Pulu 9 89 3 0 0 0 27 0 0 0
T.Roberts 5 30 0 0 1 20 14 2 0 1
Z.Taia 18 145 1 0 0 0 38 3 0 3
A.Taylor 3 17 1 0 1 6 11 4 0 0

Match Details

St George-Illawarra Dragons
Gold Coast Titans
START TIME
5:50PM
WEATHER
Clear
VENUE
UOW Jubilee Oval
Referees
Ben Galea, Bernard Sutton, Chris Sutton, Matthew Cecchin, Matt Noyen, Nick Beashel, Steve Chiddy

Gold Coast Titans stun St George Illawarra Dragons in record win

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. 

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.

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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.

Too easy: Nene Macdonald goes over for the Titans at WIN Jubilee Stadium.
Too easy: Nene Macdonald goes over for the Titans at WIN Jubilee Stadium. Photo: Getty Images

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.

Guess who? Referee Matt Cecchin places Greg Bird on report.
Guess who? Referee Matt Cecchin places Greg Bird on report. Photo: Getty Images

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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