The Gold Titans have opened their account for the 2026 NRL season, with a nail-biting 22-14 win over the Dragons at C-Bus Super Stadium.
It also marks the first win for new coach Josh Hannay after a frustrating start to the year.
Things got off to a shaky start for the Titans with a few errors in the opening minutes, before the Dragons’ Tyrell Sloan crossed in the corner in just the 4th minute of the game.
The Titans were again under pressure just minutes later before a Phil Sami intercept saw the speedster run 80 metres to score the home side’s opening try to level the scores.
The Dragons scored their second try in the 26th minute after hooker Damien Cook capitalised on a dropped high kick from Keano Kini.
The home side appeared to have levelled things up again when AJ Brimson scored right on half-time, only to have the bunker overrule the decision because of an obstruction from Beau Fermor, with the Dragons taking a 12-6 lead into the break.
The Titans looked like they were going to start the second half with a bang, with Sami on track to score a second try just minutes after the break, but a pass from Keano Kini went forward and over the touch line.
After giving away another two points from a penalty, the Titans went on the attack in the 48th minute with Arama Hau crossing for the side’s second try to get within two points of the Dragons.
Scores were then levelled in the 70th minute courtesy of a penalty to the Titans, setting up a frenetic final 10 minutes of the game.
But it was the home side that came up with the goods, with Hau crossing for his second try of the night in the 74th minute, with the conversion giving the Titans a 20-14 lead.
Desperate defence from the Titans saw them hold out the Dragons in the dying minutes, before a final penalty pushed the final score out to 22-14.
Hannay admits it was nice to get the monkey off the back.
“Really happy for the players. Like they’re working really hard at the moment. You know, we probably should have won a couple of weeks ago…against the Dolphins, “Hannay said.
“I’d defy anyone to watch this team play at the moment and say that they’re not a gritty, tough, connected group of players.
“We got to improve in a lot of areas, you know, we really do because we’re making it too hard for ourselves, but man, I’m proud of how connected and gritty they are.”
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 29: Kyle Flanagan of the Dragons is taken off injured on a stretcher during the round four NRL match between Gold Coast Titans and St George Illawarra Dragons at Cbus Super Stadium, on March 29, 2026, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Dragons suffered another blow with Kyle Flanagan stretchered off the field in the 60th minute after a nasty head knock while attempting a tackle on Titans debutant Oliver Pascoe.
He was later taken to hospital for treatment.
“He’s talking. He’s a bit agitated,” Dragons coach and dad Shane said.
“He’s one of the toughest kids you’re ever going to see. So yeah, it wasn’t nice to see.”
The Dragons remain winless for 2026 and next take on the Cowboys.
