Superstar fullback Reece Walsh launched his 2024 season in style as the Broncos downed the Cowboys 46-20 in Mackay on Sunday afternoon. After a quiet opening half Walsh exploded in the second term with a try and two try assists as the 2023 grand finalists flexed their muscle ahead of their trip to Las Vegas. The Broncos needed just two minutes to open the scoring when veteran flyer Corey Oates finished off a left side raid that featured Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo. A strong tackle by Sam McIntyre on Cobbo in the 14th minute forced an error and gave the Cowboys- good field position but they came up empty. Come the 17th minute and some clever ball-playing from Adam Reynolds created space for edge back-rower Brendan Piakura to stroll over and the Broncos led 10-0. The Cowboys hit back in the 21st minute when Semi Valemei picked off a Walsh pass on halfway and sprinted away to score. With 14 minutes to play in the opening stanza Piakura made it a double when he charged onto a short ball from Jock Madden and ran 30 metres to score and with Reynolds' conversion the Broncos led 16-4. It took the Cowboys just four minutes to strike back through Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, who carried three defenders over the line with him in an impressive show of strength. A dropped ball by Oates late in the half opened the door for the Cowboys to grab their third try when hooker Sean Mullany threw a dummy and burrowed over from close range. Ahead 16-14 at the break the Broncos needed just 60 seconds to extend their lead when Cobbo soared above the pack to bring down a bomb and run away to score. Walsh converted to make it 22-14. Cobbo was in the thick of the action again just two minutes later when he exploded into space off a Walsh pass before turning the ball back inside to his fullback who strolled over for Brisbane's fifth try and a bonus point. A superb 40-20 by Walsh eight minutes after the break handed the Broncos field position and Madden strolled over but the try was ruled out due to obstruction in the lead-up by Martin Taupau. Tristan Sailor was next to strike in the 51st minute when Walsh again stamped his class on the play and the scoreline blew out to 34-14. Sailor continued his impressive second half with a 40-20 in the 68th minute and the Broncos had a seventh try soon after when youngster Benjamin Te Kura surged over from close range. With three minutes to play the Broncos scored again through Cory Paix before 19-year-old Cowboy Jaxon Purdue brought the crowd to its feet with a runaway try to make the final score 46-20. source: NRL. Com