GOLD COAST TITANS just failed in their bid to record one of the best comebacks of all-time on Saturday night, falling 40-32 to the Brisbane Broncos at Skilled Stadium in their NRL qualifying final.
Trailing 30-10 at one point, the Titans piled on try after try to trail 34-32 with 10 minutes remaining, however, that is where the comeback stalled, with Brisbane scoring an intercept try via Dave Taylor to seal the win with four minutes remaining.
Titans coach John Cartwright was furious at several refereeing decisions that went against his side - decisions that ultimately led to tries.
"Did a decision go our way in the first half?" he asked a reporter at the post-match press conference.
"It was disgraceful."
One such incident which sparked Cartwright was Irsael Folau's try in the 28th minute, which saw him come into contact with Titans winger Chris Walker. Making things worse was the fact the Titans were penalised for a similar infringemet later in the game.
"Some decisions that went against us definitely cost us the game, they scored a lot of points off decisions that went against us," the coach said.
The Titans led early in the game thanks to a Preston Campbell try, before Andrew McCullough hit back for the Broncos four minutes later. That try was followed by Folau's first, on 16 mins, before David Mead hit back for the home side eight mins later.
Folau's second, on 28 mins, sparked three tries in 10 mins, with Jharal Yow Yeh and Darren Lockyer getting in on the act.
Kevin Gordon pulled a try back for the home side on 48 mins, with Brad Meyers then adding another six mins later and Gordon crossing again just six minutes after that!
Folau bagged his hat-trick on 62 mins, stemming the home side's raid temporarily, befre Mead got his double on 72 mins to make it a two-point ball game. Taylor's try on 76 mins sealed the win.