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Warriors 18 Titans 20
Warriors - Egan, Pompey & Montoya try, Walsh 3 conversions
Titans - Fermor, Sami & Marzhew 2 tries, Sexton 2 conversions
Second half
40th minute - Fonua-Blake offloads to Katoa and Warriors spread the ball on the last tackle, but Aitken is eventually smothered by two tacklers.
Titans only have to play out the clock and do so, consigning the Warriors to a second straight defeat to open their 2022 season. They certainly had their chances - as they did last week - but could not finish them off.
39th minute - Titans back in Warriors territory, Sexton kicks through and Montoya smothers the ball.
38th minute - Arthars makes halfway, Berry kicks through and Marzhew has the ball.
37th minute - Titans look left on the last tackle, but a desperation behind-the-back pass goes forward and Warriors must go the length of the field.
36th minute - Smith has the ball stripped in a tackle, but Titans regather and have six more. Fa'asuamaleaui threatens the line.
35th minute - Fonua-Blake reaches halfway, but Katoa loses the ball in a tackle. Ruled a knock-on, call challenged, challenge lost...
From the scrum, Herbert almost finds a space in the Warriors defence.
34th minute - Warriors kick short and win the ball back.
33rd minute - Titans move right and get a set restart. Campbell looks dangerous...
Sexton kicks and Taylor barely knocks the ball dead for a dropout.
32nd minute - Sexton kicks high towards the corner, Walsh rises, but can't claim it and the ball bobbles into touch. Big chance for the Titans.
31st minute - Warriors are penalised for stripping in the tackle, but the decision is challenged. Replays are inconclusive, so decision stands.
30th minute - Warriors move right, Taylor finds Arthars, who flicks a pass onto Pompey, but behind him and he can't gather with the line open.
29th minute - Fonua-Blake gathers the dropout and charges onto attack.
28th minute - Walsh breaks up the middle and takes a high hit from Fotuika, but no penalty.
Harris-Tavita kicks to Marzhew's corner and ball bounces loose, but Smith is taken back in goal.
27th minute - Sexton kicks from his own side of halfway, but taken by Montoya.
26th minute - Warriors move the ball left, but Berry can't gather Walsh's pass and the ball deflects forward. Another chance...
25th minute - Titans reach halfway through Fermor. Curran charges a Sexton kick down to put the Warriors on a roll.
24th minute - Walsh gathers a bouncing kick and gives himself up near the sideline. Warriors forwards are struggling to get back behind the ball and Harris-Tavita has to kick from his 30.
23rd minute - Harris-Tavita kicks high and bounces loose, but Titans eventually gather.
22nd minute - Titans cross halfway and Lisone has a charge at his old team. Brimson tries to offload, but hears a call from his old teammate, Taylor.
21st minute - Egan stabs a kick from dummy half, but Campbell reads it and is taken in a high tackle on his own line. Another chance goes begging.
20th minute - Another drinks break finds the Warriors trailling, still guilty of not capitalising on their opportunities.
From the kickoff, Joliffe spills the ball in front of his posts, so here's another chance...
18th minute - TRY to Sami
Titans move the ball left and Brimson finds his winger with a long pass. Pompey had crept infield and no-one has Sami covered.
Sexton hooks his conversion, TIT 20-18
17th minute - Brimson's kick bounces over the goal-line and Arthars knocks it dead for a dropout.
16th minute - Titans reach halfway through Joliffe. Proctor offloads and they threaten.
15th minute - The dropout goes 60 metres, but Afoa runs it back to the Titans 40. Warriors go left, Walsh tries an early kick for his winger, but the move dies, then they concede a clearing penalty.
14th minute - Warriors back into Titans territory. Afoa threatens a bust up the centre, Taylor kicks behind the line and Campbell is scragged for a line dropout.
13th minute - Powerful run from Sami, Sexton kicks from his 40, but Walsh is all over it.
12th minute - Harris-Tavita sends Curran charging to the line. Aitken gets to the line on the last tackle, but can't offload and dies with the ball.
11th minute - Walsh feeds the scrum and runs off the back, almost losing the ball.
10th minute - Titans approach halfway, but Smith loses the ball and Warriors have field position.
Ninth minute - Sexton kicks along the ground and Walsh smothers the threat. Pompey is driven back in a two-man tackle.
Walsh kicks from his 40 and Marzhew is safe underneath.
Eighth minute - Aitken loses the ball in a tackle on the Titans 30. Proctor crosses halfway for the Titans.
Sixth minute - Brimson kicks from his own 40 and Walsh tries to head up midfield.
Fifth minute - Curran offloads on halfway, then Tevaga. Afoa and Katoa carry, but when the ball moves left, Berry dies with the ball.
Fourth minute - Titans hot on attack, Joliffe charges towards the line, but Fa'asuamaleaui drops the ball cold and lets Warriors off the hook.
Third minute - Lisone carries twice and Fermor is dragged down short. Sexton kicks high to the corner and Warriors knock on over the sideline.
Second minute - Warriors roar onto attack, Tevaga goes close, Harris-Tavita kicks to the line, but Arthars and Katoa fumble a high catch to miss the try.
Warriors are penalised and Gold Coast kick into their half.
First minute - Campbell kicks off for the Titans and the ball sails over the dead ball-line, so Warriors ball on halfway.
Halftime
40th minute - TRY to Pompey
Warriors have a set rest just metres out and Titans defenders gasping for air. Afoa charges towards the post, offloads and Taylor kicks along the ground for Pompey.
Sami retreats and dives, but replays show no grounding and Pompey follows up to score, although even that wasn't too convincing. Walsh hooks his conversion through the uprights for an unlikely halftime lead, WAR 18-16
39th minute - From the kickoff, Pene runs it from the back fence. Harris-Tavita produces a 40-20 to give Warriors another chance before halftime.
36th minute - TRY to Montoya
Warriors get a set restart on the 10. Tevaga runs from dummy half and is barely held out, but when the ball moves left, Walsh has the defence in two minds and gives Montoya space to dive over in the corner.
Walsh converts brilliantly from the sideline, TIT 16-12
35th minute - On the last tackle, Tevaga grubbers to the corner and Marzhew barely scrambles into touch-in-goal for a dropout.
34th minute - Sexton kicks from deep inside his own half. Berry quickly finds halfway.
33rd minute - Warriors charge into Titans territory and have a set restart. Curran kicks and chases towards the line, but Fifita covers the grenade.
32nd minute - Titans move the ball right and Campbell looks for the long pass, but is wrapped up by Aitken and dies with the ball.
31st minute - Afoa reaches halfway and Walsh kicks high to Campbell, who has plenty of time. Marzhew charges forward.
29th minute - Fermor steps out of a tackle inside Warriors half and finds Brimson inside, but Walsh saves the try and Campbell eventually knocks on in Aitken's tackle.
28th minute - Afoa charges towards halfway and Walsh kicks towards Marzhew, who runs across field, beating taklers.
27th minute - Warriors kick off again and Fifita beats three tacklers. Sexton kicks high and Walsh rises high to claim the catch.
25th minute - TRY to Marzhew
Titans charge over halfway and look dangerous. Fifita throws a quick pass right and Marzhew takes on two defenders to dive over in the corner.
Sexton's conversion slides left, TIT 16-6
24th minute - Montoya gets thrown towards the sideline and flings the ball infield, where the Titans dive on it. Another wasted opportunity.
23rd minute - The ball never lies! As the Titans try to break out of their 30, Marzhew is pinged for a faulty play-the-ball and then looses the challenge. Warriors back on attack.
22nd minute - From the dropout, Afoa charges from halfway and Warriors are quickly back inside the 10. Afoa runs left and finds Harris-Tavita cutting an angle to the posts, eventually wrestling the ball to the ground in a couple of tackles.
Replays show he removed his hand from the ball, as he grounded and the try is taken away. He clearly still had control...
21st minute - Hot day on the GC, so everyone takes a wee break to rehydrate. Too late for Lodge though - he's replaced by Afoa.
From the kickoff, Warriors surge over halfway and Egan makes a break. Walsh kicks to the in-goal and Campbell is caught for a line dropout.
19th minute - TRY to Egan
Titans try to break out of their 20, but Sami throws a loose pass that's snapped up by Pompey. Warriors surge to the goal-line and Egan ducks in from dummy half. Warriors needed that one.
While Walsh lines up the conversion, Lodge heads to the sideline and throws up, so obviously not well. Walsh converts, TIT 12-6
18th minute - Lodge crosses halfway, Harris-Tavita kicks high and drills Campbell in a tackle.
17th minute - Warriors kick off again and Liu hits up the return. Titans threaten again, but their miscued kick is covered.
15th minute - TRY to Marzhew
Titans in Warriors half to start their set and when they spread the ball left, a long pass gives Marzhew some space downe the sideline and he fends off Montoya for a clear run to the line. Sexton converts, TIT 12-0
14th minute - Fonua-Blake splits the Titans defence and gallops over halfway. Warriors go deep, but their kick is defused easily and then they concede a clearing penalty.
13th minute - Brimson grubber-kicks on the last tackle again and Walsh slides to gather.
12th minute - Sami crosses halfway for Gold Coast, who look dangerous again.
11th minute - Lodge fields the dropout in his own half, but his attempted offload is dropped cold by Walsh.
10th minute - Curran makes halfway, Taylor kicks high and Campbell is tackled into his in-goal area for a dropout.
Ninth minute - Sexton kicks from halfway and Montoya fields in his own 10.
Eighth minute - Warriors charge out of their 20 and get expansive. Fonua-Blake makes halfway and Taylor kicks high to Campbell, who is safe.
Seventh minute - Titans roar into Warriors half on the back of a penalty. Brimson puts a little kick through, but Titans knock on a few metres out from the line.
Sixth minute - From dummy half and only two metres out, Egan throws a long pass to no-one and Herbert gathers for Gold Coast. Wasted opportunity.
Fifth minute - Fifita is penalised for a high tackle on Walsh about 12 metres out, then a set restart.
Fourth minute - Warriors survive the set and Sexton kicks from his own 40, out on the full, so good position for the Warriors.
Third minute - Warriors kick off again (so soon) and Titans look to do the same again.
First minute - Beautiful day on the GC today, with Warriors to kick off and Fotuika taking the first hit up for Gold Coast.
TRY to Fermor
Playing in the halves, Brimson splits the Warriors defence inside his own half and crosses halfway, finding Fermor in support for a straight run to the line. Bad signs for the Warriors already, as Sexton coverts from in front, TIT 6-0
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NRL clash between NZ Warriors and Gold Coast Titans.
If it feels like we've only just seen this match-up, it's because we have. This was the scene of the Warriors' 2021 end-of-season meltdown that saw them finish with only 10 players on the field.
The aftershock of that 44-0 drubbing was still being felt last week, with star fullback Reece Walsh and tough prop Matt Lodge both suspended out of the season-opening loss to St George Dragons.
Both are back for the rematch with the Titans and let's hope they can keep their minds on football this time.
Their returns will help coach Nathan Brown overcome the injury toll of last week's defeat, with star half Shaun Johnson, winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and young centre Viliami Vailea all facing stints on the sideline.
Johnson's early shoulder injury will delay his mouthwatering combination with Walsh from the back, but a key conspirator in this contest could be replacement half Ash Taylor, who was cut from the Titans during the off-season and has found a new home with the Warriors.
Taylor has been named alongside Chanel Harris-Tavita, who struggled at fullback last week, but Kodi Nikorima is still in the matchday squad and may yet force his way into the line-up.
TAB Odds: Gold Coast Titans $1.37, NZ Warriors $3
Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Adam Pompey, 3-Jesse Arthars, 4-Rocco Berry, 5-Marcelo Montoya, 6-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7-Ash Taylor, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Wayde Egan, 10-Matt Lodge, 11-Euan Aitken, 12-Elisea Katoa, 13-Josh Curran
Interchange: 14-Jazz Tevaga, 15-Bunty Afoa, 16-Aaron Pene, 17-Bayley Sironen, 18-Kodi Nikorima, 25-Edward Kosi
Titans: 1-Jayden Campbell, 2-Phillip Sami, 3-Brian Kelly, 4-Patrick Herbert, 5-Greg Marzhew, 6-Alexander Brimson, 7-Toby Sexton, 8-Moeaki Fotuaika, 9-Erin Clark, 10-Isaac Liu, 11-David Fifita, 12-Beau Fermor, 13-Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Interchange: 14-Will Smith, 15-Sam Lisone, 16-Jaimin Jolliffe, 17-Kevin Proctor, 18-Jarrod Wallace, 19-Tanah Boyd
'Bring that excitement': Walsh urged to attack, as Warriors seek first win of 2022 NRL season
Alex Powell
About to begin his second NRL season - and first full campaign - NZ Warriors sensation Reece Walsh has been urged to attack first before his first appearance of 2022.
Debuting for the Warriors last year, after a mid-season move from Brisbane Broncos, Walsh took the NRL by storm, earning the club's Rookie of the Year honours and his first State of Origin call-up with Queensland.
In 16 games, Walsh scored nine tries and set up 11 more, as he experienced playing against grown men every week as a teenager.
But after an end to the season that saw Walsh cop two separate bans for his role in a fracas against Gold Coast Titans, then being caught in possession of cocaine at Surfers Paradise, Walsh missed the Warriors' 2022 season-opening 28-16 defeat to St George Dragons.
On Saturday, Walsh will make his first appearance of his sophomore season, named to start at fullback, as the Warriors hunt their maiden win, coincidentally, against the Titans, the same side they capitulated against to bring last season to an end.
Walsh has just completed his first pre-season with the Warriors and first full pre-season with any side, and Warriors coaching staff are urging him to pick up exactly where he left off in 2021.
"A key message for Reece will be 'think run first', because opposition teams will be, I suppose, a tad nervous, when he's got the ball in his hands," says assistant coach Justin Morgan. "It'll be a run-first mentality for Reece."
Walsh's inexperience showed over the Warriors pre-season, as he struggled to keep up with some of his senior teammates, Morgan explains, before finally finding his feet and earning his spot in the Warriors No.1 jersey.
"Reece most probably didn't come back in great shape pre-Christmas, but he's worked really, really hard to get his body composition right," explains Morgan. "He's worked harder on his fitness.
"We all know the fullback role's a really hard one to play - it's one where you need to be able to concentrate. You organise the defence a lot and provide the extra man in attack so often.
"We've been really pleased with his fitness levels over the last 5-6 weeks. He took a while to find his feet a little bit, but in saying that, he's still a young athlete, so doesn't have too much training age behind him.
"He's made a really good spike over the past 5-6 weeks. He brings lots of energy, and gives us the option of being a left-footed kicker and his speed around the ruck."
And now with the tough pre-season lessons on board, Morgan backs Walsh to go from strength to strength, looming as a key player, if the Warriors are to return to the NRL's top eight for the first time since 2018.
All that comes now is for Walsh to perform on the field.
"That's all about his education as a player and we've seen him evolve with some of those things after the last few months, but in saying that, what Reece brings to the team is excitement and we want him to continue to bring that excitement.
"We feel that he's a better-educated player than he was at the start of last season and hopefully he can put that into practice for us."
