Gold Coast Titans 'fooled' by Jesse Southwell magic as playmaker scores final-minute match-winner

The Gold Coast Titans' hopes of forcing a golden point thriller were undone by a magical display by Jesse Southwell pushed the Knights back to victory.

A try by Phoenix-Raine Hippi levelled the scores with just 10 minutes to go, with neither side managing to make a successful break towards the line to stamp themselves ahead.

An error from 30m out by the Titans created an opportunity which league greats Ruan Sims and Billy Slater expected would be best used for a field goal attempt, but Southwell was on a different page to the pair and all of the Titans' defence.

READ MORE: 'Without a doubt': Joey urges Storm to make bold call

READ MORE: Incredible scenes as Aussie returns home with world title

READ MORE: Slater stunned by Bunker call as Broncos surge into finals

The Knights looked to be preparing the playmaker to line up in front of the posts, but instead she opted to make a run for the line, thanks to a perfect ball from Olivia Higgins.

Southwell managed to step two defenders, who had their sights set on those around the NSW star, before she darted over and planted the ball down.

"Forget about the field goal, the Knights have won it last minute through their champion No.7," Nine caller Peter Psaltis said.

"She had us all fooled," Queensland great Billy Slater added.

"Everyone was worried about all the Knights around Jesse, but she had the ball. You've got to worry about the ball. We were all thinking field goal, she was thinking try."

Southwell then successfully converted her own individual brilliance and ended her afternoon in Newcastle with two tries, four successful conversions and two line breaks.

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

While all eyes were on Southwell as the full-time siren sounded, the Knights' celebrations were clouded by a knee injury to starting prop Tayla Predebon.

Predebon was making a tackle on Taliah Fuimaono when she suffered the injury. She was assisted off the field by team trainers.

"That was quite innocuous," Sims said of the injury.

Aside from concern for Predebon, Knights coach Ben Jeffries will be happy with his squad's performance against a resilient Titans outfit.

Southwell was the first to strike for the hosts, powering over in the opening minute.

Sheridan Gallagher followed in the fifth minute to establish a 10-point lead over their rivals, but it was only a matter of minutes before the Titans got on the board.

Tries to Laikha Clarke and Jessika Elliston levelled the scores in the 22nd minute. Although a try for Sienna Yeo saw the hosts enter the break ahead 16-12.

In a start that was almost too good to be true, debutant Fane Finau came within a whisker of scoring the opener for the Knights with her first touch of the ball.

She then found herself over the tryline in the 41st minute in what was an impressive debut.

Two more tries for the Titans saw the game move closer to a golden point battle, but a win on rival territory was not meant to be for the Gold Coast on Sunday.