The Broncos’ season is unravelling fast after a 53-6 hammering from the Eels, leaving their finals hopes hanging by a thread.
Brisbane copped a huge blow early with Adam Reynolds wiped out of the game in just the 12th minute due to a failed HIA as the Eels laid on four tries unanswered tries.
Things went from bad to worse when Thomas Flegler was taken to hospital after a knock to the throat, Kobe Hetherington failed a HIA too and Brenko Lee left the field late in the game with a leg injury.
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Maika Sivo scored first points of the night before the Eels then laid on three tries in 10 minutes.
The Broncos showed signs of life when Lee crossed in the corner, but the red-hot Eels hit back with another try — and a field goal — just before half time.
Fox League’s Michael Ennis said the Broncos are “getting absolutely flogged.”
“I think they’re shot, I think they’re in big, big trouble. I really don’t know how Kevvie Walters can get a response — their season is on life support,” Ennis added.
The Eels looked to take their foot off the pedal in the second half until the 65th minute when they scored two tries in three minutes.
They put the nail in the coffin with two tries in the final three minutes.
BIG HITS
BRONCOS’ SEASON ‘ON LIFE SUPPORT’ AFTER 113-POINT LEAKAGE
The Broncos have leaked 113 points in two weeks — an astounding stat for a team that was in the top four only five weeks.
It’s also the first time in the club’s history they’ve conceded 50 points in consecutive games.
Coach Kevin Walters said in his pre-game chat that the Broncos needed to “pick our defensive efforts up,” but it seems that message didn’t get through to his playing group… at least not in the first half.
The Broncos let in five tries in the first half — three of those in the first 18 minutes — in what Fox League’s Greg Alexander said was a big “danger sign.”
Michael Ennis tore Brisbane’s “non-existent” defence to shreds at half time.
“They are getting absolutely flogged, that is now 91 points in a game and a half,” he said.
“Their defensive line is non-existent as the Parramatta side running riot, offloads causing them all sorts of dramas.
“I think they’re shot, I think they’re in big, big trouble. I really don’t know how Kevvie Walters can get a response – their season is on life support.”
Things didn’t get much better in the second half as the Eels ran in four more tries – two of those in the final three minutes.
“Plenty of soul-searching at half time, there needs to be a bit of pride shown in this jersey in the second half, 91 points in 120 minutes is just not acceptable,” Corey Parker said.
“The wheels have well and truly fallen off.”
EELS’ INTENSITY SPARKED IN BRUTAL SESSION
The Eels made their intentions clear in the first half against the Broncos and it turns out they were raring to go before they had even turned up to Suncorp Stadium on Thursday.
Eels coach Brad Arthur revealed pre-game that a tough final training session saw three players require stitches — and it’s that level of physicality he wanted to see on the field.
“It’s got to start with our training and I thought we had a really good final session,” he said.
“The physicality was there, the intensity was there, we had three guys get cut and we ended up with 18 stitches from the session.
“We’ve done everything right during the week so we’ve got to take that out onto the field now.”
And that is exactly what the players did with the forward pack leading the way.
“They started the game really aggressively… The Broncos went out there early to play football and the Eels went out there for collision,” Matty Johns said.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo notched up 98 and 78 metres respectively in their first stint.
They finished with 167 and 165 metres respectively, while Shaun Lane, Isaiah Papali’i and Ryan Matterson cracked the 100-mark and Marata Niukore fell just short with 99 metres.
Meanwhile, Payne Haas was the only Broncos player to crack 100 metres.
“The big bodies of Parramatta are causing damage,” Fox League’s Michael Ennis said.
EELS ‘WEAPON’ RUNS RIOT
He’s not the biggest name in the game — not even close — but Corey Parker asked the question “is there a better back-rower at the moment than Shaun Lane?” after the Eels star had three try involvements.
Lane threw an important offload in the lead-up to the Eels’ first try, threw a cutout pass in the lead-up to their second try and then hit a hole before setting up Clint Gutherson.
“He has been such a weapon for the Eels this season… What a game he is having,” Fox League’s Greg Alexander said about Lane.
“He is just man against boys… he’s playing with spiders on him,” commentator Andrew Voss added.
Matty Johns said Lane “terrorised the Broncos” with the 27-year-old finishing with a try assist, two linebreaks, a linebreak assist, eight tackle busts, four offloads and 148 running metres.
“The damage he has been doing this season, he is running riot, he has been tremendous,” Michael Ennis said.
TEAMS
Broncos: 1. Te Maire Martin 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Brenko Lee 19. Jordan Pereira 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Jake Turpin 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 16. Corey Jensen 14. Billy Walters 15. Kobe Hetherington 21. Keenan Palasia 22. Zac Hosking. Replacement player: 18. Delouise Hoeter
Eels: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Tom Opacic 5. Waqa Blake 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Isaiah Papali’i 17. Marata Niukore 13. Ryan Matterson 14. Makahesi Makatoa 15. Jakob Arthur 16. Oregon Kaufusi. Replacement player: 20. Bryce Cartwright
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