Broncos Grind Out Classy Win Over Rabbitohs
broncos.com.au
11 Mar 2022, 10:20 PM
Broncos Grind Out Classy Win Over Rabbitohs
The Broncos got the 2022 season off to a wining start at home with a gutsy 11-4 win over last year’s grand finalists South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium.
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The Broncos got the 2022 season off to a wining start at home with a gutsy 11-4 win over last year’s grand finalists South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium.
Led by huge performances in the middle from Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas, as well as great leadership from new signing Kurt Capewell, the Broncos delighted the bumper crowd of 32,002 by repelling raid after raid by the visitors to notch the victory.
The Broncos had the better of the early exchanges off the back of some strong play up the middle by Carrigan, Haas and Keenan Palasia.
The forward platform allowed winger Selwyn Cobbo to showcase his attacking talents, turning his opponent inside out to sprint 60 metres but then throw the final pass forward to halfback Albert Kelly.
Kelly then delivered a bullet cutout pass to Cobbo in the 14th minute but the finisher was taken into touch with some desperate last ditch defence.
But Kelly ensured the Broncos did eventually open the scoring when he grabbed an intercept from Cody Walker and sped 80 metres down the right to cross in 22nd minute.
Jamayne Isaako converted to make it 6-0 to the home team in front of pumped-up home crowd.
Souths hit back in the 29th minute when they shifted it to the left and winger Josh Mansour powered over to score in the corner to make it 6-4.
Valiant defence from Brisbane as the clock ticked down to halftime, withstanding repeated Rabbitoh raids on their line, ensured the Broncos took a two-point lead into halftime.
It was an arm-wrestle to start the second half with Brisbane winning the territorial battle, allowing the Broncos to shift the ball left for a run-around play, with Capewell throwing the long ball for Corey Oates to dive over and extend the lead to 10-4.
Another extended period of desperate Broncos defence midway through the second half saw them turn back wave after wave of Rabbitohs attack and forcing mistakes.
The home side went close to sealing the game with last-ditch tackles denying them until an unlikely field goal from stand-in Captain Capewell sealed the win with five minutes to go.
Isaako was meant to take the shot but a wayward pass saw him swamped by defenders, so he offloaded to backrower Capewell who had to the composure to knock the game-sealer over from 30 metres out.
BRONCOS 11 (Tries: Kelly, Oates. Goal: Isaako. Field Goal: Capewell) defeated Rabbitohs 4 (Try: Mansour) at Suncorp Stadium. Halftime: Brisbane 6-4. Crowd: 32,002.
