By Joel Gould
South Sydney duo Jai Arrow and Cameron Murray were both injured as the Rabbitohs came from behind to beat the Gold Coast 46-28 at Robina on Saturday night.
Queensland forward Arrow is in extreme doubt for game two of the State of Origin series in Brisbane on June 21 after injuring his right ankle in the 21st minute and watching the second half on crutches and in a moon boot.
NSW forward Murray limped off with a groin injury in the 52nd minute.
Arrow said he was told bad news about the injury.
“I put it in a moon boot but we will see the damage when I get scans,” Arrow told Fox Sports. “(The ankle) feels really jammed up at the back and I did get told it is a syndesmosis but hopefully it is a minor grading. It is a bit disappointing, but happy we got the two points.”
The Titans started on fire as they so often do to lead 12-0 inside 10 minutes and 22-16 at the break, but the Rabbitohs then piled on 30 unanswered points.
Jai Arrow is helped from the field after injuring his right ankle and left the ground wearing a moon boot.Credit: Getty
The Rabbitohs had a suite of players – including Campbell Graham, Keaon Koloatamangi, Damien Cook, Tevita Tatola and Cody Walker – in contention to be included in the NSW side for the second State of Origin clash in Brisbane on June 21.
Most of them showcased brilliance but winger Alex Johnston scored a hat-trick to take his career try tally to 178 and outright fourth best of all-time after going past former NSW and Australian winger Brett Morris. Walker and centre Isaiah Tass combined to send him over in the first half and Walker threw a pearler to put him in for his third.
The hosts have now lost five of eight games where they have led at the break and the trend continued in alarming fashion as the Rabbitohs put their foot down in the second half and the Titans fell apart. The Rabbitohs had too much class.
Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was enormous off the bench after backing up from Queensland’s 26-18 win in Adelaide on Wednesday night.
Cameron Murray limped off with a groin injury.Credit: NRL Photos
But the big stories out of the night were the injuries to Arrow and Murray.
The Maroons will be without forward Tom Gilbert (dislocated shoulder) in Brisbane and with Arrow set to join him on the sidelines Queensland will have at least two vacancies in the pack.
Jai Arrow wearing a moon boot after the match.Credit: NRL Photos
Rabbitohs winger Richie Kennar was put on report for a late hit on Titans No.6 Jayden Campbell.
Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika was put on report for dangerous contact on Koloamatangi’s leg early in the second-half. Fa’asuamaleaui was unhappy with the decision. The Rabbitohs scored off the back of it through Johnston and never looked back.
In Saturday’s early kick-off, a second-half one-two punch combo by the Warriors halves have got their season back on track, paving the way for a 30-8 win over the Dolphins in Auckland.
Shaun Johnson continued his fine form by scoring the second of his two tries in the 53rd minute, unlocking some committed defence with a jinking run that harked back to his days as a hot-stepping youngster.
Then, directly from the restart, Luke Metcalf was on hand to take a pass from a Marata Niukore linebreak, racing 40 metres to score under the posts for 18-4.
Up until then, it had been a low-scoring but entertaining game, with both teams throwing the ball around in front of a 23,000-strong crowd at Mt Smart Stadium.
The Dolphins were missing Queensland Origin duo Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert plus the suspended Felise Kaufusi, and had to scratch hooker Jeremy Marshall-King late due to injury.
AAP
