Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is under scrutiny from the match review committee following an early incident in the Gold Coast Titans’ game against the Knights. Just seconds into the match, Fa’asuamaleaui collided with Knights prop Leo Thompson, delivering a high tackle that left Thompson dazed on the ground. The referee, Belinda Sharpe, immediately penalised the Titans captain, who was seen holding the back of his head.
Commentator Warren Smith remarked on the incident, noting that both Fa’asuamaleaui and Thompson might face repercussions from this confrontation. Shortly after the penalty, the Knights capitalised, taking the lead with a penalty goal. They quickly extended their advantage, with Dylan Lucas, Fletcher Sharpe, and Mat Croker scoring tries to establish a commanding 20-0 lead.
The Titans eventually broke their scoring drought in the 34th minute with a try from Phillip Sami, resulting in a halftime score of 20-6 in favour of the Knights. Despite the initial penalty, Fa’asuamaleaui remained active on the field, completing the first half and racking up impressive statistics. He ran for 117 metres, the highest of any forwards on his team, with Klese Haas following with 77 metres. Additionally, Fa’asuamaleaui tallied two line break assists and three tackle breaks, while leading the team’s defensive efforts with 34 tackles.