The Titans have ruled out an Achilles injury for star recruit Taliah Fuimaono after she was helped from the field in the Gold Coast’s 16-6 win over the Cowboys in the NRLW season opener.
The biggest season on record kicked off with plenty of drama, with North Queensland’s Mia Middleton placed on report and sent to the sin bin for a dangerous lifting tackle on Emily Bass that forced the rep star off with a suspected collarbone injury.
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That came just five minutes after Fuimaono limped from the field in the hands of trainers after she pulled up without any contact, although the club is confident that it’s not a season-ending Achilles injury.
The Jillaroos star is one of their most important players and showed off her skills with a classy line-break early in the second half before, but it was a Titans veteran who stole the show with Evania Pelite putting in a performance for the ages.
The World Cup winner spent time in the centres last year but returned to fullback where she scored a stunning solo try to put the Titans in front to go with 201 running metres, 14 tackle busts and an epic try-saving tackle to deny Shaniah Power.
It was a brave effort from NRLW newcomers North Queensland who opened the scoring through former Knight Emma Manzelmann, while Krystal Blackwell came up with an incredible chase to force an error out of Destiny Mino-Sinapati over the line.
They were in the fight until the final few minutes when Gold Coast’s Zara Canfield broke their hearts with a try from a quick tap.