The Sydney Roosters have improved to fourth on the ladder thanks to a scrappy win on the Gold Coast that featured four first-time NRL try scorers and one of the most head-scratching decisions of the season.
Despite missing seven of their stars, the Roosters prevailed 20-12 on Sunday night in a game that will be remembered for a controversial try to debutant halfback Sean O'Sullivan.
The Roosters took a 14-6 lead when the 19-year-old was awarded a try despite thinking he had blown it with at least one knock-on.
Crossing the line, the halfback had the ball stripped by Jarrod Wallace before he twice slapped the ball into the post as he fell.
O'Sullivan's second touch rolled the ball down the post and onto the ground, before he forlornly put his hand on it and indicated he had knocked on.
But the try was surprisingly upheld by the bunker on review, lighting a fire on social media and leaving the 10,074 fans at Cbus Super Stadium perplexed.
Rubbing salt into the wounds, the Roosters were next to score after the break - Poasa Faamausili joining the list of debutant try-scorers - from what appeared to be a forward pass.
Luke Keary was put in the sin-bin for tackling Ashley Taylor without the ball and Jarrod Wallace subsequently scored to give the hosts a sniff with 19 minutes remaining.
The Queensland Origin forward looked to have his second soon after - a try that would've reduced the margin to two - only to have it knocked back due to an obstruction.
That was their last roll of the dice as the officials were booed from the ground at fulltime.
Titans captain Ryan James said the referee only needed to look at O'Sullivan to come to the correct decision, while when asked for his thoughts on the try ropeable Titans coach Garth Brennan replied: "which try?"
"What did it look like to you?" the furious Titans coach quizzed media post game.
And did he feel the pass to set up Faamausili's try was forward?
"Felt? You could see it, anyone could see it," he said.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson thought the bunker got O'Sullivan's try decision right.
"It got stripped, that was pretty normal, then the pad was behind him, he pushed it into the pad and recovered it from there," the coach said.
Robinson said he was proud of the win given State of Origin representatives James Tedesco, Dylan Napa, Boyd Cordner and Latrell Mitchell were all left out.
Cooper Cronk stayed in Sydney awaiting the birth of his first child, Victor Radley served a suspension and Mitchell Aubusson (hamstring) was also a late scratching. Titans forward Jai Arrow (corked knee) ensured the casualty ward was at capacity.
A first half try to Paul Momirovoski ensured all three Roosters debutants scored, while Titan Moeaki Fotuaika also joined the club with his first NRL four-pointer.
