Gold Coast Titans topple NZ Warriors in NRL playoff

BY AARON LAWTON AT SKILLED PARK, GOLD COAST.

Last updated 23:45 10/09/2010

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Warriors captain Simon Mannering is tackled during the NRL playoff match against the Gold Coast Titans.

Wiiliam Zillman of the Titans scores a try against the Warriors.

Manu Vatuvei scores a try for the Warriors in their NRL playoffs loss to the Gold Coast Titans.

Kevin Gordon scores for the Gold Coast Titans against the Warrors in their NRL playoffs match.

James Maloney of the Warriors looks dejected after his team lost the NRL playoff match againstthe God Coast Titans.

Ukuma Ta'ai of the of the Warriors takes a hit.

NZ Warrior Brett Seymour puts up a hand to fend as he runs the ball against the Sharks.

NZ Warrior Ian Henderson is tackled in a match against the Cronulla Sharks in Sydney.

Warriors forward Ian Henderson is at full stretch to tackle Cronulla's Nathan Gardner during their NRL match in Sydney.

Lewis Brown of the Warrios is tackled against the Cronulla Sharks at Toyota Stadium.

Ukuma Ta'ai runs the ball against the Cronulla Sharks at Toyota Stadium.

Ukuma Ta'ai of the Warriors is driven back in a tackle during the round 20 NRL match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Sydney.

Nathan Merritt of the Rabbitohs scores during the round 20 NRL match against the Warriors in Sydney.

Brent Tate of the Warriors is tackled during the round 20 NRL match against the Rabbitohs in Sydney.

Fetuli Talanoa of the Rabbitohs crosses the line to score one of his tries during the round 20 NRL match against the Warriors in Sydney.

Warriors' Lewis Brown struggles to hold Rabbitoh Fetuli Talanoa back from the tryline during the round 20 NRL match in Sydney.

Chris Sandow of the Rabbitohs celebrates his try during the round 20 NRL match against the Warriors in Sydney.

Eddy Pettybourne of the Rabbitohs is tackled during the round 20 NRL match against the Warriors in Sydney.

The Warriors contemplate their lot after a Bulldog try during their NRL match in Sydney.

The Warriors defence holds onto Bulldog Andrew Ryan during their NRL match in Sydney.

Bulldogs scrumhalf Brett Kilmorley breaks through some high Warriors defence during their NRL match in Sydney.

Warriors Lance Hohaia (left) and Lewis Brown struggle to catch Bulldogs Luke Patten during their NRL match in Sydney.

The Bulldogs celebrate their first try against the Warriors.

Lance Hohaia is tackled by Brent Kite in the Warriors v Manly Sea Eagles game at Mt Smart Stadium.

Aaron Heremaia is tackled in the Warriors v Manly Sea Eagles game at Mt Smart Stadium.

Bill Tupou takes off up the centre in the Warriors v Manly Sea Eagles game at Mt Smart Stadium.

Warriors halfback James Maloney takes a few Manly players along in the Warriors v Manly Sea Eagles game at Mt Smart Stadium.

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ROGER THAT: Gold Coast Titans' Mat Rogers (left) celebrates with teammate Greg Bird after scoring against the Warriors in their NRL playoffs match.

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The Warriors face a nervous wait to see if their NRL season is over after they were comprehensively beaten 28-16 by a fired up Titans side in Robina last night.

It's a long-running joke that more New Zealanders live on the Gold Coast than Aussies. Last night was living proof of that with a massive Kiwi contingent in the stands to cheer on the visitors.

But not even a staggering number of Kiwis decked out in black and making more noise than a full capacity Eden Park could save the Warriors from a fate that was all but decided by halftime.

Heading into the qualifying final between fourth and fifth, it was the hosts who boasted the favourites tag having won the last five between the clubs and all three on their home turf.

Win No 4 for the Titans at Skilled Park - for the first 20 minutes at least - looked in doubt as the Warriors rose to the occasion.

But a master-class from Scott Prince, who required a pain-killing injection in his dodgy shoulder to play, proved to be the difference between the sides and could bring about an untimely end to the Warriors' title aspirations in 2010.

"We were probably a bit off," Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said.

"We made too many errors. We pushed things too much and whether that's the pressure of the finals, well maybe, but it hurt us tonight."

After week one of the NRL's finals, the two bottom-placed teams bow out. Normally, if you finish the regular season in fifth place, it affords you a second life should, heaven forbid, you lose first up.

But with the Roosters (sixth) capable of upsetting the Tigers (third) tonight, the Raiders - who won eight of their last 10 to sneak into seventh on the ladder - a real chance over the second-placed Panthers and the Sea Eagles a fighting chance of beating the Dragons, life is pretty shaky for the Warriors right now.

Should two of the aforementioned three teams win, it will be lights out for their season.

Such a result would hardly be what Cleary's underdogs deserve.

If the rugby league Gods do smile on the Warriors, however, another final - this time a must-win - looms next weekend across the Tasman in Australia again.

"You just have to plan for another game and hope for it," Cleary said.

"Your preparation for the next week has to start now.

"Personally, I think it (the NRL's finals system) is a bit flawed but that's another argument.

"If you try and prepare for another week and don't know if you're playing, you are possibly losing a day.

"Especially for us, we have to travel all the time and if we knew what was happening then we would have some chance of preparing things like travel plans and we might have stayed (in Australia).

"What do you do now - sit around and wait?

When asked how likely it was that his team could be knocked from the competition after the first week of the finals, Cleary offered a simple line.

"It's pretty real," he said.

Just eight minutes into the match, the visitors broke the deadlock through a try to Aaron Heremaia.

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The Kiwis in the stands erupted and for the next 10 minutes it felt like it might just be the Warriors' night.

Any such delusions, however, were quickly kicked into touch when William Zillman - filling in at fullback for the injured Preston Campbell - caught the Warriors napping to pounce on a grubber kick from Prince to score.

From that point on, the hosts began to wake from their slumber and soon yet another Prince kick opened the door for former Warrior Clinton Toopi to exact a telling blow on his old team and dot down in the corner.

For the first time all night the Warriors looked rattled and, making the most of their opportunities, Zillman and Mat Rogers scored through very patchy defensive efforts to ensure their side took a 22-6 lead into the break.

From the restart it was obvious this was not going to be the Warriors' night when referee Tony Archer made two woeful calls, the second allowing Prince to kick a penalty.

Trailing 24-6, the Warriors finally had something to smile about when Joel Moon, filling in for Jerome Ropati who was a late injury withdrawal, burrowed over the Titans to score. Then, when Manu "The Beast" Vatuvei scored the 78^th try of his career - breaking Stacey Jones' record in the process - suddenly the Warriors were back within eight.

Ultimately, though, whoever was to score the next try would likely win the match. And when winger Kevin Gordon went over in the corner, the Titans had the game in the bag.

Titans 28 (W Zillman 2 tries, C Toopi, M Rogers, K Gordon try; S Prince 3 con, 1 pen)

Warriors 16 (A Heremaia, J Moon, M Vatuvei try; J Maloney 2 con)

HT: 22-6 to Titans