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Titans feel halves pain losing to Raiders

NRL

Gold Coast face a week of uncertainty around their halves and home after Jamal Fogarty's injury added to the pain of a 20-4 NRL loss to Canberra.

While Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was sublime in both attack and defence for the Green Machine, the Titans squandered their chances.

Josh Papalii was also powerful for Canberra up front, scoring a crucial second-half try after the Raiders had taken an 8-4 lead to the break.

Ricky Stuart's men were smashed by injuries last week, but it was the Titans who were left licking their wounds after the relocated match at Sydney's Kogarah Oval on Saturday night.

Already without five-eighth Ash Taylor for another week, Fogarty limped off in the second half, having hurt his quad in the opening minute of the game.

It left Erin Clark and Tyrone Peachey playing on the ball, with 20-year-old Tanah Boyd already wearing the No.6 jersey.

"I don't think it's bad, he (Fogarty) just got a cork in the first minute of the game and then it got progressively worse," Titans coach Justin Holbrook said.

"It made it hard with a young halfback not in his normal role."

On the road and uncertain where they will host Newcastle next week due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Titans also lost off-contract winger Anthony Don to a hip flexor injury.

But the injuries should not take away from Canberra's win, which moved them into the NRL's top four.

Nicoll-Klokstad totalled 260 metres, busting eight tackles and setting up Papalii's try with a dancing run on the previous play.

He also pulled off a superb try-saver on Don in the first half, knocking the ball out of the winger's hands after Jack Wighton had done likewise 13 minutes earlier.

"Little pieces of efforts like that are massive to end results," Stuart said.

"(Charnze) was wonderful. It's not just the stats, there's a lot of stuff he does that you guys don't see.

"Some of the catches fullbacks have to make with high balls in the air. It was really slippery out there tonight."

Papalii finished with 175 metres after coming off the bench, while Ryan Sutton bagged his third try of the year late when he pushed his way over.

It was also a memorable night for Jarrod Croker, who equalled Andrew Johns as the fourth-highest points-scorer of all time, with four goals taking his career tally to 2176.

The Raiders centre had earlier played a role in the team's first try, after he made the most of an Elliott Whitehead bust and put Jordan Rapana over with a nice backhand flick.

The Titans were left to rue their missed chances.

Aside from Don's missed opportunities, they coughed up the ball too often when on attack and completed at just 67 per cent.

Big forward Tino Fa'asuamaleaui was their shining light, playing 73 minutes for his 195 metres and three offloads in his best game so far for the club.

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