'Good on you': Vintage Des Hasler amuses Kieran Foran after Titans stun Warriors in coach's 500th game

Led by Kieran Foran and Jayden Campbell, the Gold Coast Titans pulled off an unexpected win over the Warriors in Auckland on Saturday to mark Des Hasler's 500th premiership game as coach in style.

When Hasler was inevitably asked about his milestone game in his post-match press conference, the man known as the "Mad Professor" fled from the spotlight.

"It's got nothing to do with the 500," Hasler said, shaking his head and grinning after a 24-16 win at Mt Smart Stadium.

READ MORE: Tendulkar only man ahead after Root overtakes Ponting

READ MORE: Record-setting Piastri trounces rivals in Belgium

READ MORE: Why this star picked Sydney Marathon over running for Australia

Foran, the Gold Coast captain and a great mate of Hasler's from their successful time at Manly, was amused by the veteran coach's classic reaction.

"It had nothing to do with it," Hasler continued.

"Just really proud of the boys and how they played tonight, and we got the win.

"We'll take that on board, we'll head back over [to Australia] and we'll go again next week."

Watch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

Asked if the Titans' rare win would boost their belief for the remainder of the season, Hasler said: "Definitely. Good on you."

He stood up and stumbled off as he gave that reply, again to the amusement of Foran, who let out a big laugh.

Hasler became just the sixth man to coach 500 premiership games, joining Wayne Bennett (956 games and counting), Tim Sheens (693), Brian Smith (601), Craig Bellamy (595 and counting), and Ricky Stuart (534 and counting).

And Hasler's struggling team rose to the special occasion, not only winning a game that few would have tipped Gold Coast to win, but doing so after trailing 10-0.

Campbell was superb for the Titans, making two line breaks, setting up two tries and kicking 17 times for 531 metres.

Foran set up one try and did so with a glorious right-to-left pass, cutting out two of his outside runners as he rifled the ball 20 metres.

The ball hit Phillip Sami on the chest and the winger scored untouched, extending the visitors' lead to 16-10 early in the second half.

Sami bagged two tries, as did Jojo Fifita, although the second of Fifita's tries came in dubious fashion.

Fifita hurtled onto a Campbell ball in the 57th minute and crashed over, but he had three defenders hanging off him and it was unclear whether he'd managed to ground the ball.

Referee Gerard Sutton ruled no try but the Bunker official overturned the decision, deeming the ball had grazed the grass.

Campbell converted to extend Gold Coast's lead to 24-10.

The Warriors hit back through Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the 62nd minute, and Tanah Boyd converted to close the deficit to 24-16, but the hosts didn't have any more points in them.

Hasler was asked if the extraordinary spray he gave his players after last week's loss to Wests Tigers was a factor in the win over the Warriors.

"I don't think it had anything to do with the dressing-down at all," he replied.

"They're very proud individuals, and that's the kind of response we want to get week in and week out. I'm just really proud about the way they bounced back. Particularly coming here to Mt Smart Stadium, it's a tough place to play. Really happy with that win."

The Titans climbed off the bottom rung of the ladder with the win in Auckland.

The Rabbitohs dropped to last and will finish the round there, having lost to the Sharks on Saturday night.

The Warriors remain in fourth on the ladder, trailing the Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs.