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A Lauren Brown masterclass has guided Gold Coast to a 26-6 thrashing of a woeful Sydney Roosters in a brutal NRLW clash with an element of spite.
On the same day Brisbane overcame a halftime deficit to beat a winless Wests Tigers 44-14, the Titans reasserted their authority as NRLW heavyweights.
The Titans and Broncos are now among six teams – including Newcastle, Parramatta, North Queensland and Sydney Roosters – on six competition points.
Cronulla are out in front on 10 points and on track for the minor premiership after beating St George Illawarra 28-4 in the final match of the round in Wollongong.
Sharks five-eighth Emma Tonegato was on fire in a player-of-the-match display against her former club.
Captain and centre Tiana Penitani crashed over for two tries, both off Tonegato passes.
Tonegato had one runaway try disallowed in the second half but minutes later she made another clean break and sent forward Rhiannon Byers over.
Sharks winger Georgia Ravics also scored a double.
Earlier, Titans halfback Brown scored two tries and had a hand in two others with her kicking game on-song, as last year’s grand finalists ended up out of the top four only on for-and-against.
Roosters centre Jayme Fressard and Titans second-rower Shaylee Bent were sin-binned in the second half after an all-in melee broke out.
Titans five-eighth Taliah Fuimaono was also binned in the fourth minute for dangerous contact on Roosters centre Isabelle Kelly, who left the field for an HIA but later returned.
Roosters prop Millie Elliott also sustained a bloodied nose and went off for an HIA after making a tackle in the first half.
Elliott came back on, but her presence was not enough to inspire a Roosters side that made every error under the sun.
Brown, who was unwell when she played in last week’s loss to North Queensland, ran the show from start to finish at Robina on a 30-degree day on the Gold Coast more suited to the beach.
Titans winger Emily Bass scored the first try after some Brown show-and-go in the lead-up. Powerhouse fullback Evania Pelite charged over on the stroke of halftime to give the hosts an 8-0 lead in a half they owned.
Brown then took control after the break. She grubbered for herself to score, sent Pelite over for her second with a sublime pass, then did it all herself to split the Roosters’ defence to score.
Roosters fullback Sam Bremner scored a late consolation try, but the afternoon grew worse for the visitors when Fressard limped off with a lower leg injury.
Titans prop Shannon Moto led a fierce pack, while Pelite at the back was always a handful.
Brisbane also moved to a 3-2 record and into the top four, after overcoming an early 12-0 deficit to beat the Tigers.
With Sarah Togatuki rolling through the middle and producing offloads, the Broncos were on the back foot early.
But Brisbane were able to turn the tide with eight unanswered tries, with Ali Brigginshaw and Chelsea Lenarduzzi both brilliant in the comeback.
Julia Robinson bagged a crucial 90-metre intercept try with the Tigers on the attack and up 14-6 just after halftime, entirely changing the complexion of the match.
In Saturday’s games, Canberra’s NRLW finals hopes have been all but extinguished after a 28-18 defeat at the hands of North Queensland in the nation’s capital.
Earlier, Newcastle climbed back into the NRLW top four with a convincing 36-16 win over Parramatta in a clash bizarrely delayed by a lack of medical staff.
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Kick-off at the Eels’ Eric Tweedale Stadium was due to take place at 11am on Saturday, but the match could not start without an appropriately qualified paramedic present, as required by NRL regulations.
When the game finally started at 11.43am local time, almost 45 minutes behind schedule, the Knights were electric as they dominated the third-placed Eels.
The back-to-back reigning premiers looked back to their domineering best after consecutive losses ended their 11-game unbeaten streak and saw them fall out of the places.
Tries to Tamika Upton, Olivia Higgins, Lilly-Ann White and Abigail Roache saw them run out to a 20-0 lead in the first 20 minutes.
Newcastle coach Ben Jeffries was pleased with the maturity his players showed to not be unsettled by the delay.
“We started the game really well,” he said. “Really happy with how they responded to that.
“I think some leaders took control in that situation.”
The fixture was the first NRLW or NRL game ever hosted at the small western Sydney venue.
Host clubs are generally responsible for booking a paramedic to be present at NRLW games. The NRL is expected to look into the circumstances of the delay.
The Eels threatened a comeback with three tries from Rosemarie Beckett, Mahalia Murphy and Cassey Tohi-Hiku in the space of 14 minutes, but the Knights held their nerve.
Tamika Upton scores a try. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Fullback Upton starred with two try assists and a line-break. She brought up her brace and sealed the game with a dazzling 70-metre try in the final minute.
In Saturday’s second game, which kicked off before the day’s first game had concluded, North Queensland all but ended Canberra’s season.
The Raiders’ fourth loss in a row means they remain stuck in eighth place and unable to reach 12 competition points – last season’s cut-off for a finals berth.
Jasmine Peters and Vitalina Naikore scored two tries apiece as North Queensland led from the second minute to the final whistle.
Krystal Blackwell tormented the Raiders defence after being shifted to fullback with regular No.1 Fran Goldthorp ruled out with injury.
The 21-year-old produced the play of the game, leaving the Canberra defence for dead with a blistering length-of-the-field try to give the Cowboys an eight-point advantage in the 12th minute.
After the Raiders scored through Felice Quinlan and Sophie Holyman, Simaima Taufa crashed over with five minutes to go to close the gap to one try.
But Peters’ second of the afternoon put paid to the Raiders’ incipient comeback and their hopes of a maiden finals run.
with AAP
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