Broncos end Brookvale drought

Super Sunday Review

The Brisbane Broncos have ended a 14-year drought on Sydney’s north shore, defeating the Manly Sea Eagles 16-10 at Brookvale Oval this afternoon.

Eager to avoid a third straight defeat, the Broncos begun the match superbly and surged away for a 10-0 half time lead on the back of tries for fullback Daris Boyd and centre Justin Hodges.

Manly missed a couple of golden try-scoring opportunities, firstly through fullback Brett Stewart, in the 15th minute, and Steve Matai with a minute to play.

Brisbane lost lock Tonie Carroll to concussion in the 24th minute, while Manly had five-eighth Travis Burns placed on report for a high shot on Sam Thaiday.

Stewart did cross the line for a second time, during the second half, for Manly’s first points of the match, though it came after Brent Tate had raced 60 metres with Matai unable to catch him.

Matai crossed in the 73rd minute and Brookvale sprung to life with only four points separating the teams, Brisbane ahead 14-10.

However, the match ended in controversy with referee Shayne Hayne awarding a penalty, deemed soft by Manly officials, with three minutes remaining when reserve forward Mark Bryant was ruled to have connected with Darren Lockyer high.

Sea Eagles captain Ben Kennedy remonstrated with the referee over the decision and claimed Lockyer was milking for the penalty. Lockyer later denied that was the case.

The Broncos for winning today have moved back into second spot on the table, while Manly slide from sixth to seventh.

Next week, Manly host Newcastle at Brookvale Oval on Friday night, while Brisbane host Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

In other NRL matches today, the Canberra Raiders have defeated a lacklustre Sydney Roosters team 42-10 on a chilly day in the nation’s capital.

The Roosters were first on the board, in the third minute, through winger Ryan Cross. Canberra hit back with the next three tries to captain Clinton Schifcofske, hooker Lincoln Withers and second-rower Jason Croker.

Canberra led 18-4 at the break, and extended that out to 36-4 with a further four tries. Queensland Origin star Adam Mogg rounded out proceedings with a little over three minutes to play.

Brett Finch crossed for a late consolation try for the Roosters, however the former champions now stare down the barrel of a second consecutive season without finals action.

The New Zealand Warriors have crushed South Sydney, thrashing the Rabbitohs 66-0 at Telstra Stadium in Sydney’s western suburbs.

The Warriors ran in 12 unanswered tries in the record-breaking encounter with reserve forward Lance Hohaia crossing for a hat trick of tries.

Jerome Ropati and Brent Webb both claimed doubles, while Tony Martin finished with a try and nine conversions for a 22-point haul.

For Souths it was their worst defeat ever in the clubs’ 98-year history, while it was New Zealand’s biggest winning margin in their 12 seasons contesting first grade against the Australian clubs.

On a gloomy Sydney day, the Warriors rout began after 10 minutes when Ropati crossed for his first. Another followed three minutes later when Patrick Ah Van charged over.

New Zealand took a comfortable 32-0 lead into half time. Simon Mannering, Steve Price, Hohaia and Martin going over for a try each in the six-try first half.

There was no let up in the second forty, though Souths had waved the white flag. Hohaia crossed for his second try in the 54th minute, while Webb had the honour of notching up the half-century mark.

After the game, the small gathering of Souths fans booed their team off the park, frustrated at yet another ordinary performance, and another season wasted in the league’s cellar.

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