Four tries from fullback Teagan Berry wasn't enough to get the Dragons home as a Lauren Brown field goal handed the Titans a 23-22 win in the NRLW at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Brown's cooly taken field goal with 40 seconds remaining broke the deadlock after Berry crossed for four tries to help the Dragons remain in the game after a 14-0 lead early to the visitors.
Berry ran for 270 metres and had 15 tackle breaks in a stunning performance but it was the Titans who held their nerve to get the win.
Titans centre Jaime Chapman opened the scoring in the fifth minute and Jessika Elliston followed up three minutes later as the lead blew out to 10-0.
Powerhouse Evania Pelite scored her seventh try of the season after she split the defence open on the short side in the 18th minute to make it 14-0.
Lauren Brown wins it for the Titans
The Dragons were forced into a reshuffle after losing two players in the space of two minutes, when Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa was sent for a HIA and Raecene McGregor left the field with a facial injury in the 26th minute.
It was the individual work from Berry who split the Titans defence with her 40-metre effort to score to the right of the posts in the 28th minute. A conversion from Jamilee Bright pulled the home side back within eight points.
Teagan Berry Try
A trysaving effort from Berry and a dropped ball over the line by Destiny Mino-Sinaparti was the last-ditch efforts from both teams right before half-time.
The second half saw some uncharacteristic errors from the Titans, which led to the back-to-back sets, allowing Berry to score her second try of the match from a McGregor kick in the 42nd minute.
Berry’s pace broke open the Titans defence once again as she raced 90 metres to register her third try in the 49th minute and the Dragons had the lead for the first time.
The Titans returned serve almost immediately, with a damaging run from Chapman for her second try in the 53rd minute. Lauren Brown’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Titans led 18-16.
A try to Karina Brown made it 22-16 but Berry powered over from close range to make it four tries and McGregor converted to lock the scores up at 22-22 with three minutes to play.
Just when it seemed golden point could be on the cards it was Lauren Brown having the final say to ice a thriller for the Titans.
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Match snapshot
- The Titans had never beaten the Dragons in three attempts coming into the clash.
- Dragons fullback Teagan Berry has now scored nine tries in six games this season.
- Berry is only the third player in NRLW history to score four tries in a match.
- Titans hooker Brittany Breayley-Nati was placed on report in the 37th minute for a crusher tackle
- It is the second time Lauren Brown has kicked her side to victory with a field goal this year.
- Titans second-rower Zara Canfield was sent for a head injury assessment in the 11th minute which she passed.
Teagan Berry Try
Play of the game
It never got them the victory but Teagan Berry's four-try performance included a 90-metre effort, a try off a kick and this brilliance below where she stepped past four defenders to the line.
Teagan Berry Try
What they said
“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. We know with that disallowed try we could’ve been further but 14-6 we knew we had work to do. But we were leading which is a change for us which again, plenty of lessons out there.” - Titans coach Karyn Murphy
NRLW Press Conference: Dragons v Titans - Round 6, 2023
“We got punished for our start again. Our starts are killing us. 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. We are still working out what works for us and our attention to details is not good enough but you know, me as a coach, I’ve got to take responsibility for that and you know the slow starts aren’t the girls' fault. I’ve got to get my head around it and come up with something to help the girls.” - Dragons coach Jamie Soward
Dragons: Round 6
What's Next
The Dragons travel to Townsville in Round 7 to face the Cowboys while the Titans are at home to Wests Tigers at Cbus Super Stadium.