Korbin Sims

Once again, rugby league has demonstrated that it is well and truly a game of two halves as the Brisbane Broncos defeated the Manly Sea Eagles 24-14.

Looking in all sorts in the first half, the Broncos could not execute nor hold onto the ball as Manly gained all the ascendancy and went into the break 14-0 up.

The second half was a complete shift from the first as the Broncos held the ball, executed better and had some luck go their way as they piled on 24 unanswered points, kick-started by a try to livewire five-eighth, Anthony Milford.

The loss was compounded by a potentially serious ankle injury to influential fullback Tom Trbojevic as Manly sweat on the seriousness of his injury.

“It’s dangerous. He could be gone for the year, I don’t know,” Barrett said, emphasising that the ankle injury was of greater concern than the injury to his knee.

“Not only has it cost us a game but it costs us one of our best players.

“If it was on the full and he was in the air that doesn’t happen or it’s a penalty and it’s a no try and we probably win.”

The loss could have further implications for Manly because if other results go against them, they could drop out of the eight altogether.

The clinical nature of the Broncos in the second half proved too much to handle for the Manly defence as they ran them ragged and performed solidly through the middle.

Remarkably, Manly’s fast start had everyone surprised but for the remaining 30 minutes of the first half, it was almost like a stalemate as both teams went tit-for-tat with defence holding firm.

Player of the Game:

3. Korbin Sims

2. Anthony Milford

  1. Tom Trbojevic

Brisbane Broncos 24 (Oates 2, Nikorima, Milford tries; Kahu 4 goals) defeated Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 14 (Trbojevic, Taufua, Koroisau tries; Koroisau goal). Crowd: 44,127.

By ricky

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.