By Adam Pengilly
A 12-man St George Illawarra needed a late rally and Tautau Moga hat-trick to snap a three-game losing streak and continue a wild weekend of scoring, plunging the Titans further into wooden spoon contention.
Despite former State of Origin prop Francis Molo being sent off for a high shot on Patrick Herbert with the Dragons clinging to a four-point lead with 18 minutes left, Anthony Griffin’s side managed to score three times while a man down for a late-season 46-26 consolation win in Wollongong on Sunday.
The Dragons became the sixth team this round to score 40 points or more with the nine-tries-to-four win, which heaps further pressure on the Titans to avoid the wooden spoon. They are only above the Tigers on points differential.
Justin Holbrook’s side had all the running when Molo clattered Herbert with a high shot from the kick-off return, with the Dragons already down two men on the bench due to early injuries to Andrew McCullough (knee) and Moses Mbye (hamstring).
But the Titans inexplicably were caught short thanks to two Moga tries as a match between two teams long out of finals contention at times descended into chaos.
St George Illawarra five-eighth Junior Amone and Dragons utility Jack Bird also bagged a double, while Gold Coast’s million-dollar man David Fifita crashed over for a spectacular solo try in the first half.
Junior Amone scored a double for the Dragons.Credit:Getty
The Dragons bombed out of finals contention with a last-gasp loss to the Raiders last week, and face the struggling Tigers and wobbly Broncos in the final fortnight of the season.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 46 (Tautau Moga 3, Junior Amone 2, Jack Bird 2, Mat Feagai, Jayden Sullivan tries; Zac Lomax 5 goals) defeated GOLD COAST TITANS 26 (Alexander Brimson, David Fifita, Beau Fermor, Jojo Fifita tries; Tanah Boyd 5 goals) at WIN Stadium. Referee: Liam Kennedy. Crowd: 12,348.
