Livid Gold Coast coach John Cartwright slammed the refereeing as "disgraceful" after the Titans fell just short of a stunning comeback win over Brisbane in their NRL qualifying final at Skilled Park.

A number of big calls left Cartwright fuming after Brisbane hung on to win a frenetic clash 40-32.

The Titans piled on three quick tries to rally from 30-10 down to trail 34-32 in the final 10 minutes, but they couldn't get any closer, prop Dave Taylor sealing the Brisbane win with an intercept try in the 76th minute.

Asked after the match why the Titans trailed 28-10 in the first half, Cartwright snapped: "What do you reckon?

"Did a decision go our way in the first half?

"It was disgraceful."

Asked to nominate some decisions, he said to the journalist: "Pick `em out mate, pick `em out, it was disgraceful."

Cartwright was clearly angered by video referee Paul Simpkins's decision not to disallow a try to rampaging Brisbane centre Israel Folau in the 28th minute, when he came in contact with rival Chris Walker as he chased down a Peter Wallace bomb.

While Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak was "surprised" at how long Simpkins took to award the try, Cartwright was of the opinion it should have been disallowed.

"We got penalised later in the game for something very similar," said Cartwright, continuing his attack.

"Some decisions that went against us definitely cost us the game, they scored a lot of points off decisions that went against us."

Cartwright said his halfback and playmaker Scott Prince was under pressure all night, not because of what Brisbane did but because he felt they stopped refereeing the game in the ruck and at the 10 metres.

The Titans coach became heated as the questions flowed.

"Mate, it was a semi-final, we got penalised twice for pushing," he steamed.

"Ashley Harrison copped the first penalty of the game when ... both sides were offside and both sides were fighting in the ruck like hell, he gets penalised for pushing.

"Chris Walker gets penalised for pushing."

Cartwright had to stop and hold himself back, apologising for appearing to fire up at reporters.

"I'm sorry ... I'm not aggro at you ... I'm just aggro.

"I hate doing it, because it was such a great game of footy.

"It's just wrong."

Cartwright said the effort of his players to come back so hard at Brisbane was "sensational".

Henjak was not too concerned about Wallace being put on report for his fifth minute high tackle on Titans winger David Mead.

"I don't think so, no," he said after Wallace turned in close to his best game for the Broncos, setting up the halftime lead with his kicking and running game.

Henjak conceded Brisbane's second half defensive effort would be seriously examined through the week after the Titans outscored them 22-12.

He felt a 90 metre intercept try to flying winger Kevin Gordon kick started the Titans' revival.

"It takes a lot of character when you lose momentum like that to get back into the fight and hold your nerve," he said.

"Six weeks ago I don't know if we would have had that in us."

Brisbane could now host a finals game next week depending on results of other matches between St George Illawarra and Parramatta and Newcastle against the Bulldogs, while the Titans will have to sweat it out before knowing their fate.

Titans five-eighth Mat Rogers, knocked unconscious when he fell heavily on his head late in the game, was taken to hospital for observation.

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