A sluggish first half by the young Titans has allowed the Dragons to run away with a 36-12 victory in the NYC at UOW Jubilee Oval this morning.
The young Titans travelled to Sydney last night due to the early start but it didn’t help, with the Dragons jumping out to a 12-nil lead after as many minutes.
Dragons halfback Jackson Willis had the best opening to a match that he could have hoped for, scoring a hat-trick within the opening 20 minutes. The opener was a grubber that took a ricochet and he regathered to score next to the left upright. Fullback Zac Lomax converted to give an early 6-nil lead.
The second and third came off the back of Titans errors with the home side streaking away to open up an 18-nil lead.
It didn’t get any better for the Titans with the lead extended in the 33rd minute. The errors continued for the Titans but on this occasion it was back to back penalties that gifted the home side good field possession. Interchange hooker Dylan Morris fooled the defensive line with an old-fashioned show and go, cruising over to score. Lomax again converted to leave the scoreboard reading 24-nil.
The Titans had a number of half chances at the back end of the half but it was again the ball handling that continued to let them down.
It wasn’t the start to the second half the Titans were after either with a further two tries being scored by the home side to open the half. The second of those saw Morris score his second after he broke through the line and showed plenty of pace to get to the line. It was the Dragons who extended the lead out to 36-nil.
The Titans were able to open their account with 12 minutes remaining with AJ Brimson running a great line and winning a 60m foot race to the line. With Ethan Roberts off the field with what looked to be a shoulder injury, hooker Bostyn Hakaraia took the shot at goal but couldn’t convert.
There were a further two consolation tries scored by the Titans with winger Tre Williams scoring in the south-east corner and back rower Rory Lillis went over in the south-west corner. Neither try could be converted with the scoreboard left reading 36-12.
As the full-time siren sounded, the Titans were held up over the line looking for their fourth try but it was a victory to the Dragons, 36-12.
DRAGONS 36 (Willis 3, Morris 2, Gallagher Tries; Lomax 6 Goals)
Def.
TITANS 12 (Brimson, Williams, Lillis Tries)
At: UOW Jubilee Oval
