Kelly sparkles as Titans run riot over Raiders - Sydney Morning Herald

Steve Mascord

How it happened

Serial off-field offender Albert Kelly resuscitated his troubled career on Sunday with a dazzling display for Gold Coast - and then called on rugby league to give absent opponent Josh Dugan a second chance.

Let go by Parramatta, Cronulla and Newcastle, 21-year-old Kelly scored two tries as the Titans registered their biggest win, 36-0, over Canberra, at Skilled Park in their 150th game since joining the premiership in 2007.

"I got that support from friends and family. I back him [Josh Dugan] to get back into his prime form," Albert Kelly. Photo: Getty Images

It was the Raiders' first game since sacking fullback Josh Dugan for insubordination. It could scarcely have gone worse as they trailed 30-0 after a dismal first half. But for Kelly, who was at the Sharks during the 2011 period under investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, the memories of the afternoon will be golden as he finally showed signs of realising his potential. His career has several times been in similar limbo to that of Dugan, whom the NRL is not certain to register even if he finds a club.

'''Duges', he's a great player, and people need to get behind him now - he needs the support at this moment,'' said Kelly, who had 18 relatives from the NSW north coast in the 12,267 crowd.

''I needed the support when I went through troubled times as well, and I got that support from friends and family. I back him to get back into his prime form.''

Filipinos Matt Srama and Kevin Gordon also scored doubles as the Titans ran in six tries before half-time. Kelly got his first in the fourth minute after backing up Brad Takairangi, and his second two minutes before the break, when he backed up the longest run of centre Jamal Idris' career and finished a 95-metre movement.

''Everyone's always known his ability - we've seen it in his short stints at other clubs,'' coach John Cartwright said. ''But he's been here since November now, and he hasn't put a foot wrong. He backs up, he's a tremendous defender, he's a competitor …''

Kelly said he was ''nervous to fail; I didn't want to let anyone down''. ''I had my doubts [about playing NRL again]. I am always confident but I don't want to get too cocky … it's not that hard, you've just got to believe in yourself.''

Canberra completed only 60 per cent of their sets and made just two line breaks to their opponents' 10. Captain David Shillington was asked about the impact of Dugan's sacking. ''I don't want to use it as an excuse but obviously it was draining and distracting for people,'' he said. ''But the Sharkies came up [against Gold Coast] last week after a bit of a horror week and they had a win.''

Coach David Furner said: ''It would be easy to say it did affect us but we've got to be bigger than than. The team, I probably have to have a look at again. I wasn't happy with a few areas.''

He said the idea of reinstating the errant Blake Ferguson was ''the furthest thing from my mind''.

GOLD COAST 36 (A Kelly 2 M Srama 2 G Bird K Gordon tries A Sezer 6 goals) bt CANBERRA 0 at Skilled Park. Referee: Adam Devcich, Henry Perenara. Crowd: 12,267.