NRL: No luck for Titans against Bulldogs

Frank Pritchard of the Bulldog takes on the defence. Photo / Getty Images

Bulldogs 28
Titans 6

There was no shortage of luck for Gold Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Unfortunately for them, it was all bad.

Incredibly the Titans were denied eight tries as Canterbury reversed their fortunes with a 28-6 NRL win - snapping a run of three losses.

Not much had gone right for Titans' John Cartwright at Suncorp Stadium this week.

But nothing could quite prepare him for what happened on Friday night.

Forty-eight hours after the NSW assistant coach watched Queensland snatch a State of Origin I win, Cartwright again came off second best as the Titans couldn't take a trick.

The signs were ominous early when Kiwi backrower Frank Pritchard bulldozed his way over for two tries in the first seven minutes.

The Titans then launched a stunning comeback - but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.

Minutes after Pritchard scored, Titans veteran Preston Campbell narrowly missed grounding a clever Scott Prince grubber.

It set the stage for a shocking Titans run of luck that not even the law of averages could change.

As a stunned Cartwright looked on, Mark Minichiello (13th minute) lost the ball over the line, Scott Prince (21st) was held up and Michael Henderson (22nd) was denied by video referee for a dubious obstruction call on Ben Ridge against Pritchard.

And that was just by halftime.

In the second half, forward Ryan James was held up not once but twice (49th, 72nd), rookie hooker Matt Srama (60th) lost the ball over the line and Greg Bird (66th) was called back over a knock on.

But eight was enough for the Titans - they finally broke through when Prince touched down in the 75th minute.

Adding salt to Cartwright's wounds, Steve Michaels (concussion) and William Zillman (neck) did not return to the field in the second half for the Titans.

In a rollercoaster game, Bulldogs halfback Trent Hodkinson was placed on report for a 19th minute hit on Michaels.

And NSW hooker Michael Ennis - backing up for the Bulldogs - was also booked for a clumsy high shot on Prince.

CANTERBURY 28 (F Pritchard 2 J Morris S Turner tries S Turner 6 goals) bt GOLD COAST 6 (S Prince try S Prince goal) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Tony De Las Heras, Ashley Klein. Crowd: 32,283.

- AAP