Rarely does a player score four tries and see their team lose but the St George Illawarra Dragons went down in a thriller to the Gold Coast Titans in the NRLW.
It would be a Lauren Brown field goal – her second of the season – that proved the decisive point, as the Titans won 23-222 in a thrilling contest at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
First points went to the Titans as Lauren Brown and Jaime Chapman combined for the centre to power over from close range.
A second Titans try soon followed as Brittany Breayley-Nati found Jessika Elliston who crashed over from close-range under the posts.
It seemed like the Titans were going to run away with the game as they had a third try, this time by Evania Pelite who split the defence, beat defenders and reached out to score.
Just when all hope may have seemed lost, the Teagan Berry show began.
Already a star of the game, her starpower went up exponentially, as she ducked inside a defender and raced 35m to score her opening try.
Berry would then have her second after half-time when Raecene McGregor grubbered through, with Berry winning the race to the ball.
Perhaps her best try of the afternoon was her third as she took the grubber and raced 90m to score, racing away from defenders with ease to score the long-range try.
Not to be outdone, Chapman then showed skills of her own to score her second as she split the defence and outpaced Berry to get to the line.
The Titans then went through the hands to extend the lead with veteran Karina Brown scoring in the right corner.
Down by 6, the Dragons needed something and yet again, it was Berry who would provide it.
She powered through the Titans line for her fourth of the game joining elite company in the NRLW.
It was then, with just 40 seconds to go, that Brown would show her cool composure to slot the winning field goal in an entertaining contest.
Titans coach Karyn Murphy was after a fast start and she was pleased to see her side leading at half-time for the first time this season.
“We wanted a good start and today we got that where for the first time this season we actually lead in a game and going into half-time,” Murphy said.
Jamie Soward lamented his side’s poor start but admits that his side also has resiliency, something he is proud of.
“We got punished for our start again. Our starts are killing us,” Soward said.
“We are resilient, we are super fit, but it’s frustrating that we have to wait for that moment, we sort of are a bit immature.”
Gold Coast Titans 23 (Chapman 2, Elliston, Pelite, K. Brown; Goals: L. Brown 1; Field Goals: L. Brown) def. St George Illawarra Dragons 22 (Berry 4; Goals: Bright 1, McGregor 2).
NRL News NRLW Player of the Game
3. Teagan Berry (SGI)
2. Jessika Elliston (GLD)
1. Jaime Chapman (GLD)
