Fast start sets the tone at McDonald Jones Stadium
Newcastle produced a decisive opening at McDonald Jones Stadium in Round 24, racing to three tries inside the first 20 minutes on the way to a 36-26 victory over the Gold Coast Titans. Dane Gagai crossed twice in the early surge and Greg Marzhew added the third, leaving the Titans to spend long stretches defending their own line. The Titans hit back with two late first-half tries to trim the deficit to 16-10 at the break, but the damage from the opening quarter was ultimately decisive in a 10-point result.
Hannay labels the opening 'unacceptable'
Titans coach Josh Hannay was blunt in his post-match assessment, pointing to penalties, six-again calls and repeated defensive sets as the reason Gold Coast could not recover. He framed the performance as a self-inflicted problem rather than a refereeing grievance, while praising the side's resilience once they found their rhythm. Hannay also noted that several 50-50 decisions in the Knights' direction compounded the slow start, though he stopped short of formal criticism of the officials.
Titans fightback falls short
Gold Coast's second-half efforts kept the margin within reach, with Kurtis Morrin scoring in the 56th minute to briefly narrow the gap. The Titans were further frustrated when a Keano Kini four-pointer was denied in the 66th minute and another was waved away in the 43rd. Hannay said the team looked "more like us" once they settled, and suggested a stronger start would have made the comeback attempt viable.
Knights' form builds heading into the run-in
The result extends Newcastle's late-season momentum, completing what Fox Sports described as a "spooners to finalists" surge. With the Titans already in the contest for large spells, the Knights were forced to absorb pressure rather than simply dominate, but their early scoring burst proved sufficient. The victory keeps Newcastle in the mix for the finals as the 2026 NRL Premiership enters its closing rounds.
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