- Titans 22 Cowboys 13
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- NRL
- Match report
Titans upset Cowboys with Holmes on report again
By Joel Gould
The Gold Coast have upset North Queensland with a 22-13 win to throw the race for the NRL top eight wide open.
The eighth-placed Cowboys, on 26 competition points, missed a golden chance to go to fifth position and will also be sweating on the NRL’s match review committee charge sheet on Monday after centre Valentine Holmes was put on report for a high tackle.
With five rounds remaining, two competition points separate sixth-placed South Sydney, on 26 points, and Parramatta in 11th on 24.
The Titans deserved their victory at Cbus Super Stadium in front of 16,516 fans on an afternoon where winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira notched his 18th try in 2023 to become the highest-ever tryscorer in a season for the club.
The win broke a four-game losing streak for the hosts and ended a six-match winning sequence for the Cowboys.
The Titans started the scoring with a sensational 70-metre try.
Valentine Holmes had a spell on the sideline for the second time in as many weeks.Credit: Getty
Khan-Pereira broke clear into open space and kicked ahead for fullback AJ Brimson to score.
Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater found winger Semi Valemei with a perfectly timed cutout pass to level it up.
Prop Coen Hess leapt like a gazelle to snaffle a Chad Townsend bomb and score to give the visitors a 12-6 lead, but from there it started to unravel for the Cowboys.
Brimson left the field in the 17th minute with an abdominal tear and super sub Campbell came on for the Titans.
The Titans remain a mathematical chance of playing finals despite sitting 12th on a crowded NRL ladder.Credit: Getty
Holmes was sin-binned and put on report for a high shot on fullback Jayden Campbell in the 21st minute. It was the second time in consecutive weeks he had been binned for a similar offence.
Titans outside backs Brian Kelly and Phil Sami both signed contract extensions until the end of 2026 during the week and combined for a 23rd-minute try to Sami as the Titans made the most of having an extra man.
The Cowboys led 13-10 at half-time but Khan-Pereira broke clear immediately following the break to put Campbell over in another 70m raid.
Khan-Pereira scored minutes later to notch his 18th try for the year.
Jason Taumalolo and the Cowboys had a golden chance to move to fifth on the table.Credit: Getty
Titans second-rower David Fifita, who set him up for the four-pointer, held the club record previously with 17 tries.
The Titans, on 22 points, are still a mathematical chance of making the finals.
Veteran No.6 Kieran Foran was magnificent for the hosts against a Cowboys outfit that failed to fire.
Cowboys forward Luciano Leilua was also put on report for a shoulder charge on Moeaki Fotuaika.
AAP
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