League: Warriors dominate Titans in final trial

Wade McKinnon scored two tries as the Warriors thumped the Titans in Lismore last night. Photo / Getty Images

LISMORE, NSW - The New Zealand Warriors wrapped up their NRL pre-season in fine fashion in Lismore on Saturday night with a 34-12 thumping of the Gold Coast Titans.

Spearheaded by halfback Nathan Fien and electric fullback Wade McKinnon, the Warriors dominated up front and out wide to register seven tries to two in front of 5156 fans.

After a scrappy start, Warriors centre Brent Tate stepped his way through some feeble Titans goal line defence to open the scoring 10 minutes in.

New Zealand capitalised on a build up of pressure at the Titans end when new five-eighth Joel Moon dropped a pin point kick for former Brisbane Broncos teammate Denan Kemp to touch down just inside the corner post.

While he missed his opening two conversion attempts, Kemp backed up his good work with the ball in hand minutes later at the opposite end of the park, producing a sensational try saving tackle on opposite Esi Tonga.

The Titans had their fair share of scoring opportunities, but lacked the ability to finish without skipper Scott Prince, who missed the clubs final trial match because of a long-standing family commitment.

A booming Nathan Fien 40-20 kick just a minute out from the half time break ignited the Warriors third try.

From the proceeding scrum, New Zealand No 1 Wade McKinnon chimed into the backline and split the Titans defensive line like ten pins to score just to the left of the uprights.

Kemp landed his first conversion of the night, to see the Warriors head into the sheds leading 14-0.

Titans coach John Cartwright rested his stars for the majority of the second stanza, giving those on the fringe of selection one final chance to impress before their opening match against the Newcastle Knights in a fortnight.

While the Gold Coast experimented, the Warriors - who used the match more as a round one warm up than a selection trial - wasted no time in picking up where they left off the previous half.

Steamrolling utility Sam Rapira crashed over just five minutes and Kemp converted.

Immediately from the kick off Fien landed another 40-20 and in a play almost identical to McKinnon's first half try, Moon cruised though to cross the chalk without so much as a hand laid on him.

With a hint of blood in the water the Warriors began circling.

Exciting fullback McKinnon finished off a long range effort kick started by Tate down the right flank.

A clever weaving effort from stand-in Titans halfback Brad Davis close to the Warriors try-line produced the Gold Coasts first points of the match in the 59th minute.

A slice of Shannon Walker magic, who took over the fullback role from William Zillman in the second half, saw the Titans score again minutes later.

But the damage had already been done.

Warriors winger Kemp crossed late in the match as a final insult to the Titans.

NZ WARRIORS 34 (W McKinnon 2 D Kemp 2 B Tate S Rapira J Moon tries D Kemp 2 J Moon goals) bt GOLD COAST 12 (B Davis S Walker try C Walker 2 goals) at Oakes Oval, Lismore.

- AAP