Wayne Bennett's never-say-die Dolphins have equalled the greatest comeback in premiership history to overpower Gold Coast 28-26 in an extraordinary win at Lang Park.
In Sunday's second match, Manly kept Wests Tigers winless with a 22-16 triumph in Campbelltown, although the victory was soured by Tom Trbojevic being forced from the field with a groin injury.
Trailing the Titans 26-0 after 26 minutes, the Dolphins appeared headed for a thrashing but fought back in stunning fashion.
It was brilliant and barnstorming and showcased the special qualities the players in this Dolphins outfit have embedded deep within them.
Bennett has overseen scores of remarkable achievements in his career but this courage-personified win, in the NRL's Anzac Round, surely must be right up there.
The Titans collapsed in a screaming heap when the blowtorch was applied.
Dolphins centre Euan Aitken crashed over with brute strength and sheer will power to give his side the lead for the first time in the 74th minute. They were never going to give it up.
The record for a winning comeback in premiership history dating to 1908 was set in 1998, when North Queensland recovered from 26-0 down to beat Penrith 36-28.
The Dolphins, in their first season, have incredibly matched the feat.
Bennett's side had so many heroes.
Teenage half Isaiya Katoa was immense. Prop Jarrod Wallace played the match of his life and winger Robert Jennings had a rollercoaster 10-minute stint in the second half of which legends are made.
He crossed just before halftime from a bomb to kickstart the comeback. Wallace put prop Mark Nicholls over after the break, then barged over himself from close range.
An extraordinary few minutes of Jennings's career then unfolded.
With the Dolphins trailing 26-18, he stumbled and fell within one metre of the line on a last play. No Titans player was touching him but for some reason he did not reach out to score.
Minutes later Jennings lost the ball over the line, but he got another crack at it and made it count with a scintillating one-hander in the corner.
Gold Coast fullback AJ Brimson was a late inclusion from a hamstring tear and was scintillating early.
The Titans pack dominated at the start with second-rower David Fifita, hooker Chris Randall, lock Isaac Liu and skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui on fire.
Brimson split the Dolphins wide open to set up hooker Randall for the opening try.
Liu crashed through feeble Titans defence to score, then sent Fa'asuamaleaui over untouched before Randall went in for one of his own.
At that point the Titans looked like they could score 50 points but they inexplicably switched off.
The Dolphins wanted it more. It was that simple.
Trbojevic injured in Sea Eagles win
Trbojevic sent a scare through the Manly camp after sustaining a groin injury, as the Sea Eagles survive a fightback from Wests Tigers.
Trbojevic was taken from the field with nine minutes left in the match, soon after pulling up short in a run and feeling for his groin.
At the point of his exit, the Tigers led 16-14 and looked likely to seal a huge boilover and claim their first win in 267 days.
However, from the next set Manly was able to reclaim the lead when Daly Cherry-Evans put up a cross-field kick for towering winger Jason Saab to score.
The Sea Eagles then sent over a late penalty goal to ensure their rise to second on the ladder.
The result leaves the 0-7 Tigers with the worst start to a season by any team since South Sydney in 2008.
But the bigger concern for Manly and NSW State of Origin officials will be Trbojevic.
With his fitness a worry in recent weeks, the fullback was chased down by Tigers forward Stefano Utoikamanu in the lead-up to the Sea Eagles' first try.
He also could not break into full stride later in the first half, when he skipped through the Tigers' defence but then looked for Saab back inside him.
Trbojevic's injury comes after several setbacks for the 2021 Dally M medallist, and in his first match back at Campbelltown since tearing his hamstring at the venue in 2020.
His injury overshadowed Haumole Olakau'atu's continued push for a NSW jersey, highlighted by roles in Manly's first two tries.
A week after putting on the hit of the year on Justin Olam, Olakau'atu showed off his attacking talent.
The powerful second rower produced an offload with three players on him in his own half to help lay on Manly's first try.
The ball helped Morgan Harper put Saab in the clear, before Trbojevic loomed up on the inside and sent Cherry-Evans over.
Olakau'atu scored the Sea Eagles' next try when he ran a clever line to hit a Cherry-Evans ball at speed and go over untouched.
At that point Manly led 12-0, and any score looked possible.
But the Tigers were able to fight back to 14-12 down through tries to Starford To'A and the impressive Apisai Koroisau.
And when To'A stepped Manly debutant Samuela Fainu on the right edge, the Tigers had the lead in a match for the first time since the 13th minute in round one.
Fullback Jahream Bula also offered hope on debut, with plenty of involvements in the first half and a brilliant escape from his own in-goal after the break.
But like so often for Tigers fans, the hope was short-lived, as Saab's late try consigned the joint-venture to a 12th straight loss.
AAP/ABC
