A player can have the game of their life, yet it still might not be enough to win – and that is exactly what Ben Barba did for the Bulldogs, as he was one of their best, yet his side could not win the game.
It was a stellar performance from the Titans, and one that some would regard as an upset, given the two teams position on the ladder – with the Gold Coast taking it out 25-14 at Suncorp Stadium.
To make matters even worse for the Dogs, prop Sam Kasiano was placed on report for one of those brutal shoulder-to-head tackles, that left Titans forward Luke O’Dwyer seeing stars, whilst experienced lock David Stagg left the field with an ankle injury.
With the Titans having the bye next week, coach John Cartwright was pleased that his side managed to get a much-needed win.
“I was really worried coming into the game inwardly about how we’d handle that loss to the Tigers (in golden-point extra time last week),” he said.
“It was tough circumstances to play that hour of the night (8.45pm kick-off) after a game like the one before it, which was an exciting game.”
The brutal high tackle hit on O’Dwyer, in Cartwright’s view, was not too malicious – with the Titans coach not too fazed by the tackle itself.
“I see that as accidental contact,” he said. “Personally, I don’t have a problem with it.”
The one thing that Dogs coach Des Hasler chose to focus on, was the lopsided penalty count that his team was on the end of – finishing 11-2 in favour of the Titans.
“We weren’t that bad,” he said. “How does that happen?”