A claim of biting by Gold Coast fullback William Zillman soured a 22-14 victory over South Sydney last night which guaranteed the Titans their first NRL finals appearance.
Zillman was put on report in the 12th minute at ANZ Stadium after Souths winger Jamie Simpson accused him of biting hisarm in a tackle.
Television cameras captured Zillman putting his open mouth to Simpson's arm, giving NRL officials enough evidence to charge the Titan even if the South Sydney player backs down from his allegation.
The Titans overcame the drama to score a gallant win, overcoming a 14-12 halftime deficit to hold Souths scoreless in the second half.
Mark Minichiello's second try, four minutes after halftime, gave his side the lead, and David Mead sealed the win in the 75th minute to give the Gold Coast their 14th win of the season.
The loss almost certainly ends South Sydney's finals hopes, as they remain 11th on the NRL table with 23 competition points.
