The Brisbane Broncos nightmare continued after they fell to a sixth straight defeat, this time at the hands of the New Zealand Warriors.
It would be the men in maroon and gold who opened the scoring.
After a few repeat sets on the goal line, a simple overlap to the right side that opened up the Warriors.
Tesi Niu delivered the final pass to PNG international, Xavier Coates who crossed in the corner.
Jamayne Isaako hit the post so the score remained 4-0 to the Broncos.
The Warriors then had a few sets on the goal line and it looked like they had a great chance to score.
However, Coates intercepted it and ran 90 to get a double against the run of play.
Isaako converted this one to make the lead 10-0.
The Warriors would finally get on the board with 1 and a half minutes left in the half after a nice short side play.
Chanel Harris-Tavita threw a cutout ball to Gerard Beale who gave the last pass to Ken Maumalo.
Maumalo gave the Warriors their first points and Harris-Tavita converted to lower the deficit to 10-6 going into the half time break
The Warriors started fast in the second half to level the scores.
Agnatius Paasi crashed over under the posts to score the 4-pointer. Harris-Tavita converted to take the lead 12-10.
10 minutes later, the Broncos would strike back.
From 40 out, Anthony Milford put up a beautiful spiral bomb.
Peta Hiku let it bounce and it went into the in goal.
It bounced over the head of a defender into the grasp of Herbie Farnworth to score.
Isaako converted to make the lead 16-12.
A few minutes later, David Fusitu’a scored to strike back for the New Zealanders but the Broncos challenged the try.
An obstruction was ruled and the Broncos survived.
This would not last long though.
With 10 minutes left, Wayde Egan ran from dummy-half and managed to break through three defenders to score.
Harris-Tavita converted to take the lead 18-16.
A few minutes later, the Warriors would all but seal the game as they crosses for the 4th time this game.
On the last tackle, Maumalo dived over in the corner with a wonderful put down.
However, Harris-Tavita missed the goal meaning the lead remained 22-16.
To finish off the game, with 1 minute left, Isaiah Papali’i crossed the stripe.
David Fusitu’a was given the final kick but he hooked it.
The score held 26-16 until the end of the game.
Warriors coach Todd Payten praised his side’s resolve but also new loan recruit Jack Hetherington.
“He just threw himself into the week as well, he wasn’t quiet or shy,” Payten said.
“I thought he added a lot of leg speed and a different body shape through the middle for us.
“He made me feel old because he’s the first player I’ve ever coached that I’ve played with his father.”
With the Broncos down in the dumps, veteran back-rower Alex Glenn has vowed to help lead the side out of their slump, as he showed emotion post-game.
“I just got overwhelmed out there,” Glenn said.
“Sometimes we cry, we get upset. It’s just been a couple of tough weeks.
“It just hurts because I know the effort that we’re putting into training every week.
It’s just little areas in our game, we’re lacking discipline. I just care for this club, care for this team so much.”
NRL News Player of the Game
3. Blake Green
2. Wayde Egan
- Ken Maumalo
