Kieran Foran’s fight to extend his NRL career appears to have taken a major blow after the veteran playmaker suffered a suspected pectoral injury in Canterbury’s 18-14 loss to Gold Coast.
Foran had willed the Bulldogs back into a dour contest on Saturday afternoon when he barged over from close range to pull his team within four midway through the second half.
But the off-contract 30-year-old left the ANZ Stadium field soon after following an attempted tackle on Titans fullback AJ Brimson, immediately raising fears of another right shoulder issue.
As Foran was being attended to by medical staff, the Titans restored their eight-point advantage with a unique try to Anthony Don – set up by a cross-field kick from wing partner Corey Thompson.
Canterbury playmaker Lachlan Lewis set up a grandstand finish when he breezed past Gold Coast opposite Jamal Fogarty in the 72nd minute, however, the Titans held on to claim consecutive wins for the first time in almost 18 months.
Fogarty was among Gold Coast’s most impressive performers, with front-rower Moeaki Fotuaikia also shining with a game-high 201 metres off the bench.
It is the sixth-straight defeat, and 12th in 13 games, for the Bulldogs, who remain on track to finish with the wooden spoon for the first time since 2008.
The loss was compounded by the injury to a luckless Foran, whose contract expires at the end of the season and is on the lookout for a new club.
It took just three minutes for the Titans to open up the Bulldogs’ defence, with second-rower Beau Fermor bursting 80 metres down the left flank for Thompson to touch down two plays later.
Fermor continued to make his presence felt when he pounced on a Fogarty grubber in the 21st minute.
The Bulldogs appeared to get back into the contest when, after Titans duo Jaimin Joliffe and Brian Kelly exited with ankle injuries, Foran fired a cutout for Nick Meaney to post their first points.
However, the Titans claimed an eight-point lead at halftime when Fogarty burned Marcelo Montoya on the first play off a scrum to score in the corner.