Ben Hunt boldly declared that the Dragons wouldn’t end with the wood spoon this 12 months, and he may simply be proper after the Crimson V recovered from a horror begin to beat the Titans 32-18 because of a particular efficiency from Tyrell Sloan.
It’s a bit early for his or her followers to buy grand ultimate tickets, however the Dragons will head into spherical three inside the highest 4 the place they’ll face fellow fast-starters the Broncos in what all of the sudden shapes as a brilliant Saturday particular.
It regarded for the opening half-hour that the dire pre-season predictions have been justified because the Titans raced out to a 12-2 lead on the highway, however the injection of Jacob Liddle and a few moments of magic from a few stars flipped the script.
Having spent the majority of the season in reserve grade final 12 months, it was becoming {that a} extra assured Sloan supplied the spark when he burst by way of from dummy-half and arrange Liddle for his facet’s first four-pointer.
It was the primary of 4 tries in a shocking 14-minute surge which had the small Sunday night time crowd dreaming of what is likely to be on the primary Sunday in October.
Sloan nonetheless has points below the excessive ball however his uncooked expertise might satirically be the factor that saves Anthony Griffin’s job after the Dragons coach refused to play him for a lot of 2022.
Veteran halfback Ben Hunt was excellent final 12 months and that type has continued into 2023 to the extent that they’ll be in each contest whereas he’s on the park.
Hunt was concerned in nearly the whole lot on Sunday night time, scoring his facet’s second attempt to organising one other, though he performed no half in Blake Lawrie’s second profession four-pointer.
He now has the possibility to make an actual assertion in opposition to his former facet as he and Anthony Griffin plot revenge in opposition to the high-flying Broncos up north.
TITANIC BLUNDER
There are some things that frustrate coaches past perception, and primary on that checklist must be failing to seek out contact from a penalty.
It was dangerous sufficient that Tanah Boyd did it as soon as within the first half, however the reality he did it once more early within the second half when he bizarrely determined to kick into the tooth of a robust breeze was merely inexcusable.
The surprising error proved to be a significant turning level within the contest as a result of Hunt weaved his magic to provide a peach of a cross to arrange Sloan for a attempt that gave the Crimson V a 10-point cushion.
Issues acquired worse for the halfback simply two minutes later when his quick line dropout didn’t go 10 metres, permitting the Dragons to increase their result in 24-12, whereas he despatched one other kick crusing out on the complete to cap a surprising second half.
It was a disappointing collapse by a Titans facet that regarded the actual deal after two early tries, however they supplied little or no after that with their win in opposition to the Tigers all of the sudden trying like shaky type forward of subsequent week’s recreation in opposition to the Storm.
