Newcastle produced one of their best performances of the season with a dominant 30-6 win over the Titans at Skilled Park in Round 7 this year.
In what would prove to be their first away win of the season, the Knights scrambled to deny the hosts a number of early opportunities in the opening half before a long-range intercept try against the run of play turned the tide in an instant.
With the Gold Coast breaking free down the left, Dave Taylor’s pass to an unmarked Jamal Idris was intercepted by Dane Gagai who raced up-field. As the defence converged, Gagai passed inside to Jarrod Mullen, then on to Darius Boyd who wrong-footed the defence to send Timana Tahu across.
That made it 6-0 at the break but Newcastle shot out of the blocks when the teams returned, with Steve Michael spilling a Mullen bomb and David Fa’alogo benefiting with an easy try.
The Titans threatened a comeback when William Zillman broke clear to send Albert Kelly away; however when Boyd’s classic sweep play to the left saw James McManus score their resistance was broken. McManus added a second soon after thanks to some quick hands from his inside men and Akuila Uate finished the job in the dying minutes after another bomb was split by the home side.
The Knights completed 34 of 41 sets and made 249 metres more than their opponents, with Boyd a standout on his way to 183 metres and two try assists.
Taylor made 149 metres and Nate Myles 40 tackles for the Gold Coast.
