Titans belt injury-hit Broncos in NRL

A rampant Gold Coast has thrashed Brisbane to continue the Broncos’ horror NRL run, scoring 36 unanswered second-half points to secure a 46-18 win over their southeast Queensland rivals.

Young guns Keano Kini and Jojo Fifita were the standouts for the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday as they broke to their biggest win over the Broncos, who slumped to their eighth defeat in nine games.

Compounding last year’s grand finalist’s woes, Payne Haas suffered a suspected Lisfranc injury, Ezra Mam injured an ankle just before halftime and three Broncos (Corey Jensen, Brendan Piakura, Kotoni Staggs) were all placed on report.

Kini scored two and set up two more, including a phenomenal effort at the start of the second-half, while winger Fifita scored a hat-trick as the Titans simply ran rampant over a hapless Broncos outfit.

The day started brightly for the Broncos when Reece Walsh sparked the game to life with a brilliant double in the first 15 minutes.

The flying fullback’s first was all his own work, stepping and accelerating into a gap in the Titans defense before kicking ahead, reggathering and scoring.

Five minutes later it was all Walsh again who sent a high kick towards the Titans’ line, outjumped Kini and scored to put the Broncos up 12-0.

Kini then started the hosts’ fightback, setting up Fifita’s first and scoring another to reduce the margin to two points before some Adam Reynolds magic allowed Kobe Hetherington to score his first try of the year and ensure the Broncos led 18-10 at halftime.

Kini marked his return from a sin-bin just before halftime in sensational fashion, grubbering a tap back by Jojo Fifita from a kick before re-gathering and diving over at pace with the touchline looming large.

The Titans hit the front in the 50th minute when a Kieran Foran break led to broken play and Brian Kelly dived over.

The home fans were then in delirium when Jayden Campbell appeared to have scored moments later before the four-pointer was wiped out by the Bunker, only for Kini to stand up the Broncos’ defense and set up Jojo Fifita for his second of the game off the subsequent set.

Corey Jensen had a chance to get the Broncos back into the contest with 17 to play but spill the ball over the line as he tried to ground it.

Nothing stopped the Titans from that point, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Fifita, Phillip Sami and Beau Fermor all crossing the line as the Broncos defense – and possibly season – fell to pieces.

The Titans also had an injury worry with Sam Verrills (ankle) coming off in the second half while Brian Kelly was placed on report.