Brisbane fans booed wantaway star Payne Haas before Gold Coast blew another big lead in a mad 35-24 Broncos NRL win.
The Titans led 18-0 and 24-4, but conceded 31 straight points thanks to some brainless decisions in a rollicking Friday night derby at Suncorp Stadium.
It came a day after prop Haas’s extraordinary request for an immediate release from the club was denied, the 22-year-old and his management testing the waters after negotiations on a bumper new deal stalled.
He showed up to play but his move drew sustained boos from the 32,864 crowd as combatant and Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (228 run metres and 18 first-half runs) powered the Titans’ dominant start.
It all crumbled for the visitors though, the skipper taking the blame for a compulsive short kick off that backfired and led to Brisbane’s sixth straight win – and second in a row without the injured Adam Reynolds.
Coach Kevin Walters was taken aback by Haas’s move but laughed off the crowd’s theatrics, saying he’s confident it won’t derail their progress and he can work out a solution quickly.
“He’s the best prop in the game and we don’t want to lose the best prop in the game,” he said.
“That’s what we’ll have to get to in the next couple of weeks (why he is seeking a release), but he showed his commitment tonight and whilst he’s got a Broncos jersey on he will continue to do that.”
The Titans fell to 3-9 and are now a likely three wins outside the top eight.
It followed a similar tale to last year’s Suncorp Stadium clash, the Titans giving up a 22-point lead to lose – something they also did against Canberra earlier this year.
“We’re in complete control of a game. Up 18-0 and it should’ve kept going that way,” coach Justin Holbrook said.
“We score a try with 11 men and defend that … doing that really well. (Then) just dumb (mistakes).
“It’s hard to sit here, he (Fa’asuamaleaui) was enormous. I could easily be rapping the boys and we just completely lose our way.”
On-fire Gold Coast halfback Toby Sexton set up two of their three tries before Selwyn Cobbo’s intercept stopped a fourth and his brave run that followed turned the tide.
In a mad two minutes, Sexton went off injured and Esan Marsters joined Sam McIntyre in the sin-bin for professional fouls.
Cobbo scored in the corner but Tom Flegler’s knock-on from the restart let the 11-man Titans off the hook.
Back from injury, David Fifita stormed from dummy half to score a crucial try and stunt Brisbane’s surge.
Tanah Boyd then did enough in a desperate tackle to dislodge the ball as Kurt Capewell looked for a pass to Corey Oates for a certain try to end an eventful first half.
Just when the Titans looked settled, more madness set in with three tries in six minutes.
Te Maire Martin sliced through to score before the Titans, despite being up 24-10, opted for a short restart that backfired badly.
Cory Paix beat the Titans to it, breaking straight through to gift Jordan Riki a runaway try.
The writing was on the wall then, Jamayne Isaako spilling a bomb that led to Herbie Farnworth’s try, then Capewell and Ezra Mam also crossing before Tyson Gamble iced it with a field goal.
