Broncos Pay For Mistakes Against Redcliffe
The Brisbane Broncos have been punished for key mistakes at key times to fall to Redcliffe 40-6 in the XXXX Derby at Suncorp Stadium.
Brisbane paid the price for some key first half errors allowing the opposition to set up a big halftime lead which proved too hard to peg back without injured Kotoni Staggs who did not return after the main break due to a quad injury.
Best for the Broncos were Pat Carrigan (119 running metres, 42 tackles and a try), Corey Jensen (52 tackles) and Jesse Arthars (129 running metres, three tackle breaks and a line break) but it wasn’t enough in a game that left Brisbane on a finals knife edge.
The game started as a real arm wrestle for the first 15 minutes before Jamayne Isaako crossed in the right corner for the opening try and a 6-0 lead.
Broncos Captain Adam Reynolds was then forced form the field for a head injury assessment in the 17th minute from a late tackle that saw Felise Kaufusi sinbinned for 10 minutes.
Redcliffe extended their lead to 12-0 through a try to Jake Averillo in the 21st minute before the Broncos started to work their way back into the game.
Winger Jesse Arthars surged through the Redcliffe defensive line from inside his own half and raced upfield, finding Selwyn CObbo who was pulled down just short of the line.
Brisbane then kept possession for repeat sets and eventually battered their way over the line through Pat Carrigan next to the posts form short range in the 24th minute. Staggs converted and it was back to 12-6.
Redcliffe bounced back out to a 12-point lead when Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow picked up a Broncos dropped ball and raced away 80 metres to score under the posts in the 28th minute.
The Broncos then found themselves with just 12 players on the field when Xavier Willison was sinbinned for a high tackle in the 30th minute and Redcliffe capitalised through another try to Averillo to make it 24-6 after 34 minutes.
Brisbane copped a double injury blow just before halftime when Staggs (quad) was forced from the field for the game with a quad issue, while Brendan Piakura also left went off with a head knock to receive a head injury assessment.
The Broncos went further behind in the 47th minute when Herbie Farnworth scored on the right after cutting back on the inside and the game was gone 10 minutes later when Tabuai-Fidow crossed for his second try of the night and a 30-point lead.
