LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
Latrell Mitchell emerged as the star of the match, leading the Rabbitohs to a 20-18 victory over the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium, as reported by titans.com.au.
Making a swift return from a calf injury, the South Sydney ace was pivotal in ending the team's nine-game losing streak, coinciding with Indigenous Round, making his performance especially significant.
The Gold Coast Titans faced a challenging afternoon, losing two players on their left edge due to injuries in the second half: Brian Kelly due to a failed HIA and Alofiana Khan-Pereira with a hamstring issue. Despite these setbacks, the home team fought hard, closing the gap to just two points against Wayne Bennett's squad, but controversy emerged as the game approached its conclusion.
In the dying seconds, playmaker Jayden Campbell was denied a penalty right in front of the posts after appearing to be hit high while attempting to assist in a potential game-winning play. This incident led to a narrow two-point victory for the visitors in front of 14,957 spectators at Robina.
Campbell's most significant contribution of the day was a crucial flick pass to Alex Johnston, helping extend his winning streak against the Gold Coast to eight matches.
The crowd at Cbus Super Stadium and the Fox League commentators voiced their opinions on the hit that Campbell endured from Thomas Fletcher and Jai Arrow in the 79th minute, which many believed should have resulted in a penalty.
This potential penalty, located only 15 meters out, could have sent the match into golden point territory.