An inspired Baby Broncos outfit turned on the afterburners to rack up a 32-18 win over the Dragons on a pulsating Sunday afternoon at Suncorp Stadium.
Celebrating 30 years since the club’s breakthrough 1992 Premiership victory and with that champion team watching on, a Broncos outfit missing nine first-team regulars showed outstanding resilience and scintillating flair to stretch their winning streak at Suncorp Stadium to six games this season in front of 29,234 fans.
There wasn’t a bad player for the home team but leading the way were Kobe Hetherington (137 metres run from 15 runs and 37 tackles), Kotoni Staggs (two tries, 134 metres run, three line breaks), and Tesi Niu (Try, 145 metres run, try assist, two line break assists, five tackle busts).
Winger Delouise Hoester (two tries and 137 metres run) and debutant backrower Zac Hosking (143 metres run from 17 runs, four tackle breaks, 28 tackles) were also outstanding.
It was a Broncos side missing nine of its first-choice players due to Origin duties and injury – Kurt Capewell, Selwyn Cobbo, Pat Carrigan, Corey Oates and Tom Flegler all with the Maroons, while injuries ruled out Payne Haas (shoulders), Te Maire Martin (ribs), Corey Jensen (calf) and Herbie Farnworth (biceps).
There were fireworks from the start as Dragons forward Tariq Sims was sinbinned in the third minute for a late and high shot on Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds – and the home team capitalised when they shifted the ball left for Brenko Lee to offload despite the attention of three tacklers to Delouise Hoeter who drove over low to score his first NRL try and a 4-0 lead.
Reynolds was hit late and high again soon after by Dragons hooker Andrew McCullough who was put on report as the Broncos continued to pile the pressure on the Dragon defence without being able to finish off a host of chances.
The visitors hit back in the 16th minute when they got a piggyback downfield off the back of a Broncos penalty and Cody Ramsey sliced through on the left edge and sped away to score. Zac Lomax converted from the touchline to give his side a 6-4 lead.
And the home side forged further ahead in the 55th minute when Hetherington cut through the middle on the halfway and offloaded to a flying Niu who in turn passed to Mam who sped away to score next to the posts. Reynolds converted for a 26-12 lead.
Kotoni Staggs finished the scoring in the 59th minute to capitalise a memorable Sunday afternoon at Suncorp Stadium.
