Campbell leads Titans to win against Eels

Titans playmaker Jayden Campbell turned in a five star performance to steer his side to 24-16 defeat of the Eels at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday night.

Playing at five-eighth, Campbell produced three try assists and had a hand in a fourth with a jolting tackle that forced the ball loose from Parramatta winger Jake Tago. 

Campbell laid on the first two tries of the match for winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira in the 10th and 13th minutes, the first with an overhead pass and the second with a short ball after quick hands from David Fifita.

The star utility then showed he could be just as effective without the ball, forcing an error from Tago with a heavy tackle that led to Phil Sami stepping his way to the tryline after a storming Fifita run. 

A wayward pass from star fullback AJ Brimson, who played 50 minutes in his return from a groin injury, led to a try by Eels interchange forward Luca Moretti in the 31st minute and the teams went to halftime with the Titans leading 18-6.

Centre Brian Kelly extended the Gold Coast’s lead when he swooped on a grubber kick from Campbell to score in the 55th minute but Parramatta fought their way back into the game.

Tongan international Will Penisini scored in the 59th minute and captain Clint Gutherson barged his way over from close range six minutes later but the Gold Coast defence held firm and the Eels fell short.

Match snapshot

• The Titans had not defeated Parramatta at Cbus Super Stadium since 2018, while and had won just one of their previous nine games against the Eels.
• Titans winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira has scored 36 tries in 36 NRL appearances, including six in three games against the Eels.
• Former Test and Origin prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard ran 202 metres from 14 carries of the ball for Parramatta.
• Gold Coast fullback AJ Brimson (high tackle) and forward utility Chris Randall (dangerous contact) were placed on report.
• Titans strike forward David Fifita was forced from the field for a HIA midway through the second half after a tackle on Eels centre Will Penisini but was cleared to return in the dying stages.
• Fifita ran 127 metres with the ball, produced six tackle break and made 23 tackles, including a trysaver on his own tryline.
• The Eels ran out of interchanges in the 73rd minute but were able to replace Will Penisini after he was ordered from the field for a HIA.

Play of the game

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