Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds produced a playmaking masterclass at Belmore on Saturday afternoon to guide his team to a 44-24 victory.
Playing as well as ever in his 12th season in the NRL, Reynolds scored the game’s opening try, laid one on for Kurt Capewell and put in pinpoint chip kicks to help set up tries for Ezra Mam and Brendan Piakura in a five-star display.
On an emotional afternoon which saw club legend Josh Reynolds play his last ever game in NSW Cup, the Bulldogs brought the huge crowd into the game early when Jacob Preston stretched out to score in the third minute and Matt Burton converted for a 6-0 lead.
Come the 14th minute and Reynolds stamped his class on the game when he put Piakura into a hole and accepted the return pass to score under the posts.
A mistake by Kotoni Staggs from the kick-off gave the Bulldogs a chance to hit straight back but an intercept by Billy Walters on the goal line defused the danger.
Broncos back-rower Kurt Capewell celebrated his return from a quad injury in the 19th minute when he powered over from close range courtesy of a sweetly timed Reynolds pass.
The Bulldogs hit back in the 25th minute when Jake Averillo finished off a superb team try that featured offloads from Corey Waddell, Tevita Pangai Junior and Jacob Kiraz before the fullback finished it off and scores were locked 12-12.
It took the Broncos just two minutes to take the lead back when Walters dived over from dummy half and Reynolds’ conversion made it 18-12 to the visitors.
Averillo made it a double in the 29th minute after some great lead-up work by Pangai Junior and Toby Sexton before the Broncos crossed for their fourth of the day through Deine Mariner.
The Broncos lost winger Selwyn Cobbo to the sin bin in the 39th minute for running with a raised elbow into Sexton’s neck as he hit the defensive line.
Even down a man the Broncos were able to strike first after the break when Xavier Willison strolled over for a soft try to make it 28-18 to Brisbane.
A clever grubber by Burton looked to have set up the Bulldogs’ fourth try but Preston was unable to complete the putdown as he lunged at the ball.
The Broncos then came up with a spectacular last-tackle play to put the result beyond doubt when Reynolds chipped over the top, Mariner toed the ball ahead and Mam scooped it up to score. Reynolds converted to make it 34-18.
Putting the finishing touches on a great afternoon, Reynolds kicked over the top for Cobbo to regather and find Piakura in support in the 69th minute as the Broncos hit 40.
A late try to Waddell added some respectability for the Bulldogs but they allowed the Broncos to have the final say when Herbie Farnworth scored from a Tristan Sailor grubber and the score finished at 46-24.
Source: NRL.Com