The Titans under-20s today had their most convincing victory of the season today, coming from behind to beat the Parramatta Eels 40-22 at Pirtek Stadium after three straight losses.
Parramatta led 14-10 at half-time but the Titans scored the next 30 points as they took control of the match with an improved kicking game and controlled attack, with halves Braydon Torpy and Karl Lawton, assisted by bench player Daniel Schwass, guiding the side well.
Shaun Hudson also had an impressive game at right centre, crossing for a try and setting up two others with smart touches.
However, it was solid go-forward and quick play the balls from the forwards that gave the Titans momentum after too many forced errors before and after half-time set the side back.
There were three late changes to Ben Woolf’s side before the match with winger Zac Spring, Anthony Colman and Nathan Watts dropping out with injury. Tevita Folau, Ethan Page and Shane Gillham came into the 17 and it was Gilham who opened the scoring with a good individual try in the seventh minute when he stormed onto a ball from dummy half and broke two tackles on the line. Jed Cartwright converted and the Titans had a great start, aided by quick play the balls and a couple of penalties.
The Eels struck back though with two quick tries to right winger Atini Gafa to lead 8-6 and despite the first of Lawton’s two smart individual tries from 10 metres, the Eels led 14-10 at the break.
Unforced errors in the first five minutes of the second half threatened to derail the start to the second session but Lawton’s second try, from dummy half, started a run of points.
Hudson was in the next three tries, scoring the first after a good short-side call from Torpy then setting up the next with a kick into the in-goal for Hayden Schwass then set Folau up with a tremendous one-handed offload in the tackle 10m from the line. Cartwright had his radar honed with the book and converted all those tries.
Shane Wright, one of the team’s best, was on the scoring sheet after Daniel Schwass sent him a good pass after latching onto a half-break by hooker Delayne Ashby for 40-14.
The Eels, through right winger Atini Gafa, scored two tries in the final five minutes – giving Gafa four for the match – but the match had been well and truly won on the back of the Titans’ convincing 30-minute second half effort.
Titans (K. Lawton 2, Gillham, Hudson, Folau, H. Schwass, Wright tries; Cartwright 6 goals) beat Eels 18 (Gafa 4, Kaufusi, Miski tries; Davis goals).
