News

Jan 17, 2024

NRL Shaun Johnson's double helps Warriors edge Titans

Gold Coast prop Moeaki Fotuaika was sent off in the Warriors' 28-18 win to become the second NRL player in less than 24 hours to be given his marching orders. On Thursday night, Sydney Roosters

Gold Coast prop Moeaki Fotuaika was sent off in the Warriors' 28-18 win to become the second NRL player in less than 24 hours to be given his marching orders.

On Thursday night, Sydney Roosters forward Nathan Brown was sent off for a high shot on Manly's Ben Trbojevic.

Fotuaika was dismissed in the 17th minute for a shoulder to the head of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad which left the Warriors fullback in a daze.

The Warriors No.1 was assisted from the field and did not return, as Fotuaika's night also came to an early end in a spiteful contest.

Titans hooker Chris Randall was put on report in the 14th minute for a high shot on Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, an incident that set the tone for an explosive first half

Two minutes after Fotuaika's early exit, Warriors second-rower Marata Niukore was was sin-binned for a face slap of counterpart David Fifita.

Referee Ben Cummins called captains Kieran Foran and Tohu Harris together and gave them both a stern talking to.

"I'm sick and tired of this. Concentrate on the footy," Cummins told the pair in a warning that did the trick.

The Titans scored first when Fifita crashed over but after that Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson scored two cracking tries in front of 20,877 fans.

Johnson weaved his magic to score his first with a right-foot step that bamboozled the Titans.

He then split the Titans from 30m out and found Watene-Zelezniak who unfurled a one-handed inside pass back to his on-fire No.7 while being tackled by three defenders to give the visitors a 12-6 lead at the break.

Johnson created a try for rampaging forward Jackson Ford but the Titans refused to go away with fullback Jayden Campbell laying on a try for Joe Stimson with a grubberkick.

Campbell then grabbed an incredible reflex intercept 10m out from his own tryline and raced the length to level it up at 18-18.

Harris crashed over next to the sticks and Watene-Zelezniak chased a Johnson kick to finally put the brave Titans away with tries in the final seven minutes.

The Warriors remain in third spot position on the NRL ladder on 32 points and are on track for a top-four finish.

The Titans, on 22 points, are out of the finals race.