‘A star is born’: Rookie stuns Panthers in major upset
Josh Hannay has scored the biggest win of his young coaching career, as the 16th-placed Titans stunned ladder-leaders Penrith on Saturday night after a star-making performance from young gun Zane Harrison.
Despite missing star trio Nathan Cleary, Brian To’o and Isaah Yeo who were rested after State of Origin duties, most still expected the Panthers to get the job done.
Zane Harrison celebrates with his Titans teammates. Getty Images
However, in one of the biggest upsets of the season, Gold Coast stole a 19-18 victory after Harrison’s clutch field goal in the dying stages.
“A star is born,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.
All three of the Titans’ tries were set up by rookie halfback Harrison, who is living up to the hype early in his first grade tenure.
Harrison put back-rower Aramu Hau over to level the scores, before a smart short-side play saw Phillip Sami give the hosts the lead at Cbus Super Stadium.
“He’s a ripper this kid,” Michael Ennis said after Sami’s try.
“This young Zane Harrison has just delivered two killer blows, first on the right-hand side for Aramu Hau and now for Sami.
“What a sequence ... he saw it beautifully and executed it even better.”
Penrith drew level again with five minutes remaining after a freakish one-handed flick pass from Paul Alamoti helped set up a try for Lindsay Smith, but the night belonged to Harrison and his jubilant Titans teammates on their home turf.
“It was tough out there for our guys, but I feel like we’re ready now as a team for games like that,” coach Hannay said post-game.
“We’ve been really gritty all year and at the moment, I feel like we’re finally getting rewarded for that effort. We stared down the best team in the last 20 years out there tonight and they’re the experts at closing out games like that.
“It was a step in the right direction for us in terms of closing out a game … to have our five-game halfback step up and ice that moment is really pleasing.
“We see that kid every day train and prepare with composure. Everytjing we have seen from that kid since day one of pre-season was that composure, but it’s one thing to do it at training and another to do it against the Panthers.
“The try assists and the field goal, I feel funny saying this but it doesn’t actually surprise us. He’s the real deal that kid, it’s a special night for him and it will go in the scrapbook for sure ... but he’s gonna have a lot of those moments.
“He’s a really measured, smart young person and he wants it badly, he wants to be really good and he works hard at it. The good ones prepare for those moments.”
Jensen Taumoepeau stays down with an ankle injury. Fox League
The result came at a price for Hannay’s side however, with winger Jensen Taumoepeau forced off with a serious ankle injury.
Taumoepeau leapt up to contest a kick with Tom Jenkins but came down and landed awkwardly, with early indications he had suffered a fractured ankle.
“It’s a pretty significant injury, so that poor young guy will be out for a little while,” Hannay said after the game.
