[Source: NRL]

David Fifita’s first NRL career hat-trick ignited Gold Coast’s thumping 42-16 victory over Newcastle at Cbus Super Stadium.

Fifita added yet more brilliance and brute force to his growing NRL highlights reel with a dominant performance to score three tries, while Corey Thompson and Patrick Herbert bagged doubles, and lock Tyrone Peachey was back to his breathtaking best in the eight tries to three win in front of 12,492 fans.

It was a Titans performance that had it all. Strong defence, stunning offloads, quick hands, and a length-of-the-field try from the kick-off restart in the second half. Jarrod Wallace and AJ Brimson combined with some fancy play for Patrick Herbert to complete the try of the year contender.

This is a Titans team that isn’t afraid to throw the ball around. Shifting the playoff re-starts, front rowers willing to put each other into gaps and almost every player on the field competing on every play as they all look to get in on the try-scoring action.

Whether this style of play stacks up against the elite teams of the NRL remains to be seen, but if they’re to be top-four contenders come to the end of the season these are the games they need to win at home and win comfortably.

It was a thoroughly one-sided affair, from the moment Kalyn Ponga’s kick off sailed out on the full with the Titans scoring within the opening 90 seconds as Peachey set up Kevin Proctor.

While the Knights did manage to bring the scores back to 12-6, Fifita sparked the massacre that was to come with a moment more commonly found in junior footy than the elite NRL.

Fifita simply took a penalty tap 10 metres out and ran straight for the try line. No fancy footwork, just big man picking on small man, in this case, Knights five-eighth Connor Watson, to score a try of brute force.

It was the start of three tries in 10 minutes for the Titans, with Fifita adding his second in the 32nd minute when he stormed onto a short ball by half Jamal Fogarty before brushing past Kalyn Ponga.