Titans show promise after slow start in Cairns

A playmaking masterclass from Cowboys duo Tahlulah Tillett and Kirra Dibb has helped North Queensland claim the inaugural Breayley-Nati - Hoepper Shield with a 28-12 victory over the Titans in Cairns on Sunday afternoon.

Capitalising on a slow start from the visitors - which included a number of errors and lack of possession - the home side led from start to finish with their dominant forward pack asserting their authority to lay the platform for the Cowboys linchpins, who assisted in piling on the points in the opening half.

But Titans coach Karyn Murphy will be pleased by the final 40 minutes, as her side who were missing four potent Origin stars eased their nerves and minimised the onslaught to score two tries to one in the final half of the pre-season hit-out.

Running out for the hot and humid contest in Far North Queensland, it didn’t take long for points to come with an early error from Emily Bass on the goal-line helping the Cowboys to the first four-pointer in only the second minute – former Titan Jasmine Peters on the end of a centre field to right hand shift.

A weight of possession in North Queensland’s red zone gave new halves pairing Taliah Fuimaono and Lauren Brown a chance to finesse their combination after being Origin combatants only two weeks prior.

The time with ball in hand proved dividends with Brown and Bass combining, seeing the Gold Coast No. 1 to fire a harbour bridge pass to Georgia Sim to equal proceedings in the 12th minute.

Whilst the Cowboys middles continued to dominate the game; the visitors looked to have kept out them out until disaster struck right on the stroke of quarter time.

Tillett setting up her left-hand side to strike with a well-timed shift to Dibb, who involved herself perfectly to help Krystal Blackwell to her first four-pointer.

After the drinks break, errors and penalties cruelled the Coast with Tillett getting herself on the scoresheet with a crafty show-and-go in the 23rd minute; before the Cowboys No.7 had her mitts all over another four-pointer, setting up a shift left to put Goldthorpe over for her first try of the afternoon.

Down 16-4, points continued to flow for the home side with Tillett holding up a pass for Peters’ second of the day, before Goldthorpe continued the scoreboard pain right on half-time by doubling-up to take a 20-point lead into the sheds at the break.

The third quarter was a stalemate between the two sides with the Gold Coast improving their goal line defence and focussing on ball control to keep the Cowboys to nil before the final drinks break.

They did however find the chalk in the 67th minute thanks to interchange half Kayla Shepherd, who setup a textbook unders line for inaugural Titan Tiana Raftstrand-Smith to dive underneath the post.

But the visitors hit back with two consolation tries in the final 10 minutes, including a powerful 60 metre break from Laikha Clarke who strolled away for the Titans' second.

The final points of the afternoon came from Fuimaono in her first NRLW game back from injury, and it was only fitting her running game came to the forefront given it was a highlight for the Gold Coast throughout the clash in great signs for the Titans season.

The side's only trial before Round 1, the Titans will return to the Coast ahead of their season opener against the Dragons on Sunday, July 28 in Wollongong.

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 28 (Jasmine Peters 2, Fran Goldthorpe 2, Krystal Blackwell, Tahlulah Tillett, Tiana Raftstrand-Smith tries) defeated GOLD COAST TITANS 12 (Georgia Sim, Laikha Clarke, Taliah Fuimaono tries)