NRL: Warriors wilt in finals dash

Titans players celebrate scoring in last night's playoff match against the Warriors. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors' finals fate slipped from their hands last night as their A-game deserted them on the Gold Coast.

The steady brand of football that carried them to a fifth-placed finish never materialised in the pressure-cooker environment of a packed Skilled Stadium. At best, the Warriors were patchy. Maybe half of the team played well. That was never going to be enough against a Titans side desperate to atone for two straight losses in last season's finals.

Against a backdrop of screaming Titans fans on a sultry Gold Coast night, too many Warriors simply wilted.

The likes of James Maloney and Sam Rapira seemed to carry the weight of expectation effortlessly. Others were crushed by it.

Whether they get the chance to atone now depends on other results. If two of the Sea Eagles, Raiders and Roosters lose, the Warriors will live to fight again next week. But that contest will be on Australian soil and the stakes will be just as high.

You wouldn't bet on a Warriors' bounceback.

Last night, they capped an energetic opening with an eighth-minute try to Aaron Heremaia, who crossed after receiving Brent Tate's back-handed offload.

Maloney was the dominant figure of the opening 15 minutes, pulling off a try-saving tackle on speedster Kevin Gordon, kicking superbly for territory and setting up another likely raid with a clever chip and regather.

But when the tide turned, master playmaker Scott Prince took over.

A dubious penalty against Rapira gave the Titans field position and Prince provided a grubber that the outstanding William Zillman just managed to ground.

Prince soon delivered an inch-perfect kick to Manu Vatuvei's flank.

The big winger has passed numerous such tests in recent seasons. Not this time. The Beast flailed wildly, the ball ended up in Clinton Toopi's hands and the finish was simple.

Vatuvei stood rooted to the spot, clutching the ball and gazing skyward as if willing it not to be so.

It was so, as video referee Bill Harrigan swiftly confirmed.

Prince's sideline conversion increased the pain and more was to follow in short order.

The Warriors have been boosted by their bench many times this season, but not last night. The likes of Ben Matulino and Ukuma Ta'ai may be stronger from the experience, but that will be scant consolation.

Matulino coughed up a ball on halfway and a couple of tackles later endured the sight of Zillman dancing past him and three teammates on the way to the line.

Seemingly powerless to stop the Titans' surge, the Warriors received a brief respite when a Mat Rogers try was disallowed. Kevin Locke lost the ball in a three-man tackle and Rogers ran it in, only to be called back.

No matter: Two tackles later, Greg Bird turned a simple pass inside and Rogers had his try.

Referee Tony Archer couldn't have been accused of doing the Warriors any favours, missing an early second-half strip on Lance Hohaia and then awarding a dubious one in the Titans' favour that Prince converted into another two points.

A late replacement for Jerome Ropati, Joel Moon scored a try eight minutes into the half to halt the one-way traffic, and 12 minutes later Vatuvei gave the Warriors real hope with a blockbusting effort that took him past Stacey Jones' club record mark of 77 tries.

Maloney's sideline kick hit an upright to leave them trailing by eight, and then a Vatuvei error stalled the comeback before Gordon finished things with a try in the corner.

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said his men had started well "but we lost our way".

"We had a lot of possession, but ended up making too many errors."

Titans coach John Cartwright said his team's first-half effort made the difference.

"We were pretty ordinary in the second half," Cartwright said, "but we scrambled well on defence and did what we had to do."

TITANS 28 - 16 WARRIORS

TITANS
* Tries: W Zillman (2), K Gordon, M Rogers, C Toopi
* Cons: S Prince (4)

WARRIORS
* Tries: A Heremaia, J Moon, M Vatuvei
* Cons: J Maloney (2)