Gold Coast has stunned premiership heavyweights the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday afternoon after a late comeback saw the side seal a 34-32 victory.
The injury-riddled team trailed by eight into halftime, with Titans halfback Tom Weaver producing a brilliant cover tackle inside their own 20 metres to deny Brisbane’s Corey Oates from finding the line.
The game was sealed when Josiah Karapani dropped the ball with just 48 seconds left on the clock in what was the home side’s last chance to pounce.
The match was the final fight for many players to plead their Origin cases, with Reece Walsh showing no signs of concern after missing Magic Round with a knee injury.
Brisbane’s Ezra Mam, who is competing with Cowboys skipper Tom Dearden for the No.6 Maroons jersey, did his chances of selection now harm after setting Suncorp Stadium alight after reeling in a Titans grubber kick to run 90 metres to score.
But their Broncos stars’ efforts could not be matched by the masterclass playmaking skills of Keano Kini who helped push the game to a thriller finish in the 70th minute.
The visitors powered back late in the half, scoring three back-to-back tries to take the lead 36-30 with nine minutes remaining in the game, with a late try from Broncos centre Selwyn Cobbo not enough to level the scores as Jock Madden missed the conversion.
