Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Joel Gould

Titans massacre woeful Warriors in landmark win

Gold Coast celebrate one of their 11 tries in Saturday's humiliation of the Warriors. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

A record-breaking Gold Coast have sent the dismal Warriors into a world of hurt with a stunning 66-6 win at Robina as five-eighth Jayden Campbell answered his critics in emphatic style.

To compound the Warriors' woes, No.6 Te Maire Martin (hip drop) and centre Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (lifting tackle) were put on report.

The Titans, bottom of the ladder coming into round 16, scored the most points in their history as Campbell became their highest scorer in a single match with 26 points from 11 goals and a try.

"He showed today just how dangerous he can be," coach Des Hasler said.

"JC is instinctive. He creates points and line breaks around him."

Jayden Campbell scores a try for Gold Coast against the Warriors.
Jayden Campbell adds a try to his 11 goals as the Titans bury the Warriors in Robina. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Away fans streamed in to the ground before kick-off, and the chant of "Warriors, Warriors ..." could be heard 500 metres from Cbus Super Stadium.

But the Warriors faithful among the crowd of 22,782 were soon silenced by their team's ineptitude and the razzle-dazzle of a red-hot home outfit.

The 60-point hammering was their equal-biggest losing margin since the 70-10 Anzac Day thumping by Melbourne in 2022.

Coach Andrew Webster said his players were "devastated" by the humiliating loss.

"We got what we deserved. Today is very embarrassing, but we can definitely come back," Webster said.

"We got rolled completely down the field. Every single player is accountable for that today."

Titans skipper Kieran Foran had four try assists for the first time since he won the 2011 title at Manly under Hasler.

"You rub a fossil long and hard enough you get a diamond don't you," Hasler said of his No.7.

Winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira crossed four times for Gold Coast to become the NRL's leading try scorer for the season, with 14.

His speed was too much for the sluggish Warriors to get anywhere near.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
Alofiana Khan-Pereira was in electric form for the Titans, adding four tries to his season's tally. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

The Titans were on fire in the opening half, with Campbell and Foran supreme.

Campbell threw a sensational cutout pass to send try-scoring machine Khan-Pereira over on 15 minutes, and Foran unfurled a deceptive short ball for second-rower Beau Fermor to storm in soon after.

The Titans' third try was pure embarrassment for the woeful Warriors as hooker Chris Randall wafted forward Jazz Tevaga away like he wasn't there to make it 18-0.

Six minutes later, Campbell - who had been backed to the hilt by Hasler during the week - stepped his way through more non-existent Warriors defence and prop Keenan Palasia did the rest.

The tries kept coming, with Sam Verrills adding another before the break to bring up the equal-best first-half lead in the Titans' history - matching the 30-0 performance against Canberra in 2013.

The carnage continued in the second half, with Khan-Pereira again cutting loose.

Titans back-rower David Fifita had a blinder to send a message to Queensland coach Billy Slater after he was left out of the Maroons side for State of Origin II.

The Warriors' season is now on life support, with coach Andrew Webster facing multiple problems as he looks to revive it.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.