NRL: Warriors ice away win, but Kieran Foran injured

Ryan Hoffman dives over to score the Warriors' first try in their win over the Titans. Photo / photosport.nz

The wait is over. The Warriors have banked their first win on Australian soil this season, with an impressive 34-12 victory over the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday.

The victory was desperately needed, though will be soured by a quadricep injury to Kieran Foran, who hobbled off the field with 17 minutes to play.

There was no immediate diagnosis, but it looked serious enough to be a concern.

But the Auckland club, backed into a corner after three losses in their last four games, responded with one of their best efforts of the year.

They led 22-4 at halftime, after a three try burst in seven minutes close to halftime, and finished the job with composure in the second spell.

The Warriors were aided by a inaccurate Titans display, with highly rated half Ash Taylor having a nightmare.

Coach Stephen Kearney deserves credit for being loyal with his selections and he was rewarded.

Shaun Johnson responded to recent criticism with a strong display, while the forward effort was impressive, from the veteran Ryan Hoffman and Simon Mannering to greenhorns Sam Lisone and Bunty Afoa.

After an early Titans try - when the Warriors right edge got their wires crossed - the Auckland club produced one of their best 40 minutes of the season. They were urgent on defence, with real intent and smart with ball on hand. They played solid football, but with variety, and the pleasing addition of support runners, which has sometimes been a rare thing this season. And most importantly, there was some genuine mongrel; an attitude that nothing was going to be left in the tank, no fuel for regrets on the long journey home on Sunday.

That added up to four impressive first half tries, and it could have been five, with David Fusitua inches away from a spectacular aerial effort. Hoffman - who become the 27th NRL player to achieve 300 games - started the damage in the ninth minute after Foran and Johnson created space on the left edge.

The Warriors then had to repel some Titans attack, but the home side were their own worst enemies. They threw passes over the sideline, fumbled easy balls and gave up easy penalties, though it was often a product of Warriors' pressure. Kearney's side then flicked the switch, sparked by some bench impact, to score three tries in seven minutes.

Blake Ayshford crosed in the 30th minute after Bodene Thompson created some second phase, but the try was made by two damaging runs by Sam Lisone, who resembled an Energiser bunny. There was more to come, with Foran making space for Ken Maumalo to touch down after sustained possession. The icing on the first half was the second moment of magic from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in a week, as the Warriors captain beat three defenders in a confined space to sprint away and score.

The Titans were always going to respond, and got some early momentum from a Jaryd Hayne try, who strolled through non-existent defence on the right edge. The Gold Coast made some other incursions, and for a period Warriors fans were watching on with a sense of dread, with the memories of the Penrith meltdown still fresh in the mind. Surely it couldn't happen again? Thankfully this time the Warriors were made of sterner stuff, while the Titans were too untidy to take the initiative they were occasionally offered.

Foran's withdrawal in the 63rd minute could have destablised things but Johnson ran the show expertly while Ata Hingano was a crucial option off the bench and grabbed his first NRL try on the whistle.

Warriors 34 (R Hoffman, B Ayshford 2, K Maumalo, R Tuivasa-Sheck, A Hingano tries; I Luke 4 goals, R Hoffman goal)
Titans 12 (K Elgey, J Hayne, D Copley try)
Halftime: 22-4