Key piece unlocked in error-riddled game: Four things learnt in Broncos' win
But what will please coach Michael Maguire was that his side found a way to win even when their attack failed them at times, forcing them to rely on their defence throughout their current five-game winning streak.
'You've just got to find a way to win at times, the good teams do that.'
Adam Reynolds
Walters cements his utility claim
So congested has the hooker logjam been at the Broncos, their 2023 grand final rake Billy Walters was suddenly facing an uncertain future.
But the 31-year-old has become the club's genuine X-factor off the bench in recent weeks, and added another chapter to that legend on Sunday.
Just as the Titans threatened to orchestrate a boilover, with Jojo Fifita's second try of the night getting his team within six points, Walters jumped out of the ruck and threw a wild dummy to slice through virtually untouched.
It proved the decisive blow to a plucky Gold Coast outfit, and followed his try-scoring heroics against the Bulldogs last week.
'We were challenged about six weeks ago about what was going on, but ... the work the players are putting in is starting to get the rewards.'
Michael Maguire
While Blake Mozer has been signed through to the end of 2027, Walters is doing all he can to prove he belongs in Brisbane beyond the end of his 2026 deal, leaving the off-contract Cory Paix's future uncertain.
Broncos pack respond without Haas
For a second straight week, the Broncos' engine room rose to the occasion in the absence of superstar prop Payne Haas.
Haas was a late withdrawal from the clash, having battled a minor back concern for much of the year and in need of a rest following his effort for New South Wales in the State of Origin series decider.
He joined Corey Jensen (calf) on the sideline, but the men who remained through the middle got through a mountain of work.
Pat Carrigan (171 metres, 32 tackles), Xavier Willison (145 metres, 26 tackles), Kobe Hetherington (105 metres, 36 tackles), Talty (111 metres) and Jordan Riki (154 metres, five tackle busts) all got through plenty of work.
Brendan Piakura failed a HIA attempting to ground a Reynolds grubber and failed to return.
On the back of that, the Broncos' back five were able to generate some momentum - Staggs the headliner with 226 metres.
'We're probably known as a group around our attack, but I think our defence is starting to hit its stride with the way they work for each other.'
Michael Maguire
Titans ace set to miss rest of the season
While under-siege Gold Coast coach Des Hasler dismissed talk of his shaky future at the club as 'unfounded speculation', he admitted he may need to dig his side off the bottom of the ladder without superstar fullback Keano Kini.
Kini had suffered a herniated disc pressing against his spinal cord just two games into his season, and while it was initially hoped he would be fit to return for roughly the final month of the campaign, Hasler suggested that would not be the case.
AJ Brimson has moved away from his budding halves combination with Jayden Campbell to reclaim the No.1 jumper, and he strove to ignite the Titans' attack to no avail, producing 185 running metres while coming up with a deft grubber for Fifita to score his first try.
'I don't think you'll see Keano on the field this year. That's the great value of AJ, he's able to play a number of positions, but it's the old cliché of the sort of headache you want as a coach.'
Des Hasler
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Roosters stay unbeaten, Titans, Cowboys rope NRLW wins
The Sydney Roosters have cruised to a 42-22 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs to stretch their unbeaten NRLW streak to four matches. Victory was even more impressive considering it was achieved without Golden Boot-winning halfback Tarryn Aiken, who is expected to return next week from a shoulder injury suffered in State of Origin. Her return will only add to the Roosters' attack, though they produced eight tries at Allianz Stadium on Saturday without her. In other results on Saturday, the Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys enjoyed back-to-back wins as the 12 clubs fight for a top-six spot. A double by Roosters skipper Isabelle Kelly alongside 239 metres and four line-breaks was part of a 32-0, six-try haul in the opening half, which set up Sydney's victory. But the Bulldogs didn't fall in a heap, outscoring the Roosters 22-10 in the second half - which did not please Sydney coach John Strange. "It was a really good first half, we completed high, executed well and I was happy. But the second half ... not happy," Strange said. "It was just disappointing we got to that lead and couldn't go on with it." The Bulldogs' fightback came from an unlikely source, with 18-year-old debutant winger Elizabeth MacGregor crossing twice in four minutes, before centre Monica Tagoai and half Ash Quinlan scored. Roosters prop Rima Butler kept the wolves from the door with a double, but fellow forward Olivia Kernick has a nervous wait after she was put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Holli Wheeler. A commanding performance by Titans fullback Jaime Chapman helped Gold Coast score consecutive wins on the road with a 20-10 victory over the Warriors in Auckland. Saturday's win in New Zealand followed their victory over Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval last week. Chapman's try complemented her 166 metres, three line-breaks and 12 tackle-busts. Playing the short side proved profitable, with both Titans wingers Lily Patston and Georgia Gray scoring for an early 10-0 lead. That buffer increased to 14-0 after a dummy-half run from utility Lily-Rose Kolc coming off the bench. The Warriors snuck in two tries, including one to winger Payton Takimoana - her fifth this year to take her to the top of the NRLW leaderboard. It's been a welcome bounce back to form by the Titans, who started 2025 with two straight losses. "We didn't have the best start to our season, and the Warriors are a very physical team, but the internal focus lies in the belief within this group,'' said skipper Georgia Hale.' Even more striking is the rebound of the Cowboys from seventh on the ladder after round two to second spot in round four after their third win - a 26-0 whitewash of the Canberra Raiders. Coach Ricky Henry will be pleased his side's 12-0 halftime scoreline more than doubled in the second stanza. All five tries came from the Cowboys' back five, with winger Krystal Blackwell and centre Abigail Roache scoring doubles. Fullback Jakiya Whitfeld wasn't among the scorers but left her mark with 22 runs for 202 metres, 73 post-contact and four tackle-busts. The Sydney Roosters have cruised to a 42-22 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs to stretch their unbeaten NRLW streak to four matches. Victory was even more impressive considering it was achieved without Golden Boot-winning halfback Tarryn Aiken, who is expected to return next week from a shoulder injury suffered in State of Origin. Her return will only add to the Roosters' attack, though they produced eight tries at Allianz Stadium on Saturday without her. In other results on Saturday, the Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys enjoyed back-to-back wins as the 12 clubs fight for a top-six spot. A double by Roosters skipper Isabelle Kelly alongside 239 metres and four line-breaks was part of a 32-0, six-try haul in the opening half, which set up Sydney's victory. But the Bulldogs didn't fall in a heap, outscoring the Roosters 22-10 in the second half - which did not please Sydney coach John Strange. "It was a really good first half, we completed high, executed well and I was happy. But the second half ... not happy," Strange said. "It was just disappointing we got to that lead and couldn't go on with it." The Bulldogs' fightback came from an unlikely source, with 18-year-old debutant winger Elizabeth MacGregor crossing twice in four minutes, before centre Monica Tagoai and half Ash Quinlan scored. Roosters prop Rima Butler kept the wolves from the door with a double, but fellow forward Olivia Kernick has a nervous wait after she was put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Holli Wheeler. A commanding performance by Titans fullback Jaime Chapman helped Gold Coast score consecutive wins on the road with a 20-10 victory over the Warriors in Auckland. Saturday's win in New Zealand followed their victory over Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval last week. Chapman's try complemented her 166 metres, three line-breaks and 12 tackle-busts. Playing the short side proved profitable, with both Titans wingers Lily Patston and Georgia Gray scoring for an early 10-0 lead. That buffer increased to 14-0 after a dummy-half run from utility Lily-Rose Kolc coming off the bench. The Warriors snuck in two tries, including one to winger Payton Takimoana - her fifth this year to take her to the top of the NRLW leaderboard. It's been a welcome bounce back to form by the Titans, who started 2025 with two straight losses. "We didn't have the best start to our season, and the Warriors are a very physical team, but the internal focus lies in the belief within this group,'' said skipper Georgia Hale.' Even more striking is the rebound of the Cowboys from seventh on the ladder after round two to second spot in round four after their third win - a 26-0 whitewash of the Canberra Raiders. Coach Ricky Henry will be pleased his side's 12-0 halftime scoreline more than doubled in the second stanza. All five tries came from the Cowboys' back five, with winger Krystal Blackwell and centre Abigail Roache scoring doubles. Fullback Jakiya Whitfeld wasn't among the scorers but left her mark with 22 runs for 202 metres, 73 post-contact and four tackle-busts. The Sydney Roosters have cruised to a 42-22 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs to stretch their unbeaten NRLW streak to four matches. Victory was even more impressive considering it was achieved without Golden Boot-winning halfback Tarryn Aiken, who is expected to return next week from a shoulder injury suffered in State of Origin. Her return will only add to the Roosters' attack, though they produced eight tries at Allianz Stadium on Saturday without her. In other results on Saturday, the Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys enjoyed back-to-back wins as the 12 clubs fight for a top-six spot. A double by Roosters skipper Isabelle Kelly alongside 239 metres and four line-breaks was part of a 32-0, six-try haul in the opening half, which set up Sydney's victory. But the Bulldogs didn't fall in a heap, outscoring the Roosters 22-10 in the second half - which did not please Sydney coach John Strange. "It was a really good first half, we completed high, executed well and I was happy. But the second half ... not happy," Strange said. "It was just disappointing we got to that lead and couldn't go on with it." The Bulldogs' fightback came from an unlikely source, with 18-year-old debutant winger Elizabeth MacGregor crossing twice in four minutes, before centre Monica Tagoai and half Ash Quinlan scored. Roosters prop Rima Butler kept the wolves from the door with a double, but fellow forward Olivia Kernick has a nervous wait after she was put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Holli Wheeler. A commanding performance by Titans fullback Jaime Chapman helped Gold Coast score consecutive wins on the road with a 20-10 victory over the Warriors in Auckland. Saturday's win in New Zealand followed their victory over Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval last week. Chapman's try complemented her 166 metres, three line-breaks and 12 tackle-busts. Playing the short side proved profitable, with both Titans wingers Lily Patston and Georgia Gray scoring for an early 10-0 lead. That buffer increased to 14-0 after a dummy-half run from utility Lily-Rose Kolc coming off the bench. The Warriors snuck in two tries, including one to winger Payton Takimoana - her fifth this year to take her to the top of the NRLW leaderboard. It's been a welcome bounce back to form by the Titans, who started 2025 with two straight losses. "We didn't have the best start to our season, and the Warriors are a very physical team, but the internal focus lies in the belief within this group,'' said skipper Georgia Hale.' Even more striking is the rebound of the Cowboys from seventh on the ladder after round two to second spot in round four after their third win - a 26-0 whitewash of the Canberra Raiders. Coach Ricky Henry will be pleased his side's 12-0 halftime scoreline more than doubled in the second stanza. All five tries came from the Cowboys' back five, with winger Krystal Blackwell and centre Abigail Roache scoring doubles. Fullback Jakiya Whitfeld wasn't among the scorers but left her mark with 22 runs for 202 metres, 73 post-contact and four tackle-busts.
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Des Hasler's wild post-game spray vindicated as Titans grab shock win in coach's milestone match
Not much has gone right for Titans coach Des Hasler in 2025, but his decision to spray his troops not once but twice after an embarrassing defeat to the Tigers last week has paid off. Hasler was left seething after last week's loss, and his frustration boiled over in a fiery locker room moment that was captured on camera. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. As Hasler entered the rooms to address his playing group, he was left infuriated by the sounds of the showers running. The 64-year-old exploded into a fit of rage as he shouted at the players in the showers, forcing them to walk out and sit with the playing group. According to Code Sports, Hasler's on-camera outburst was actually his second spray because the Titans players didn't respond sufficiently to his initial post-game spray. 'Des was furious,' an anonymous player agent said. However, it did the trick, with his Gold Coast team producing an inspired performance in Hasler's 500th game to stun the Warriors in New Zealand. The Titans found themselves down 10-0 after just 11 minutes, but instead of rolling over like they have time and time again this year, they responded by turning the blowtorch on the Warriors. They held off a rampant New Zealand side late to score a memorable eight-point win. Hasler, who is widely tipped to retire at the end of the season, has never won the wooden spoon in his decorated 20-year coaching career. And Sunday's 24-16 upset victory in Auckland has given him a good chance of avoiding that in what is likely his final ever coaching stint. The 64-year-old's first season as an NRL head coach was in 2004, and over the next two decades, he guided clubs (Sea Eagles and Bulldogs) to four grand finals and two premierships. Against the Warriors, he became just the sixth coach in history to oversee 500 first-grade games, behind Wayne Bennett (956*), Tim Sheens (693), Brian Smith (601), Craig Bellamy (594*) and Ricky Stuart (534*). The upset victory in Auckland also dragged the Titans off the bottom of the ladder as they leapfrogged Bennett's Rabbitohs. Meanwhile, the Warriors are stuttering at the wrong end of the season, and coach Andrew Webster admits there is plenty to fix before finals. The Kiwis got out of jail last week with a miraculous last-second try to beat the Knights, but that victory only temporarily masked their problems, which were again on display against the Titans. Webster said none of his players were celebrating on the team bus last week, and despite knowing they needed to seriously improve at home, they couldn't get the job done against the bottom-placed Titans. 'We just weren't good enough; it has nothing to do with where they sit on the table. We knew if they played good football, what they could offer,' Webster said. 'We just weren't the way we wanted to be, and that's always frustrating. They were at their best and we weren't, and that's what happens in the NRL, you get beaten. 'We need to get back to how we want to play and just have confidence and belief in each other. 'We need to make sure it's a hard day for the opposition when they come here.'
ABC News
13 hours ago
- ABC News
NRL live: Warriors vs Titans, Panthers vs Tigers, Rabbitohs vs Sharks
With coach Des Hasler in the firing line, the Titans face a brutal road trip to face the fourth-placed Warriors in Auckland. Later, the Panthers and Tigers face off at Western Sydney Stadium and the injury-hit Rabbitohs take on Cronulla in Gosford. Follow all the action in our live blog below, check out all the stats in the full ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
