Season highlight six is the arrival of one of the biggest names the game of rugby league has seen in the past decade. Enter Jarryd Hayne. Although not the result the side were after, going down to the Warriors 24-14 in front of a strong crowd of 25,109 fans at Cbus Super Stadium.
Josh Hoffman fumbled his put down in the third minute that would have given the Titans an early lead but it was the Warriors who registered first points through David Fusitua in the sixth minute.
Ryan James levelled things up in the 19th minute when he ran a great line off hooker Nathan Peats and went over to score next to the right upright.
Warriors back rower Bodene Thompson score the second of the afternoon for the Warriors in the 27th minute and that brought about a change from Coach Neil Henry, with Hayne entering the match in the 28th minute. He made an immediate impact with two great involvements early that brought the crowd to its feet. The second of those leading up to a Konrad Hurrell try, who was very happy with himself after scoring against his former club. That left scores level at 10-all at the half-time break.
Warriors halfback set-up Simon Mannering for a try in the 43rd minute before two intercepts lead to a Solomone Kata double in the space of seven minutes. That gave the Warriors a 24-10 lead and one that would be hard to reel back in.
Hayne registered his first try-assist in the 72nd minute with the 28-year-old putting in a grubber for Anthony Don, who used his soccer skills before scoring the try.
It was too little, too late from the Titans, with the scoreboard reading 24-14 at the end of 80 minutes.
Warriors 24 (Solomone Kata 2, David Fusitu'a, Bodene Thompson, Simon Mannering tries; Tuimoala Lolohea 2 goals) def. Gold Coast Titans 14 (Ryan James, Konrad Hurrell, Anthony Don tries; Ashley Taylor goal) at Cbus Super Stadium. Half-time: 10-all. Crowd: 25,109.
