Two things rapidly emerged as the players trudged off a soggy Allianz Stadium on Thursday night.
It’s only round one but the Sydney Roosters appear unlikely to play finals football – and the Broncos may have already scored the try of the year.
Michael Maguire’s Broncos were on fire as they thumped the Roosters 50-14.
The Roosters were expected to struggle with so many stars retiring at the end of last year, not to mention those absent from their round one match due to injury and suspension.
They have also lost Victor Radley to concussion, but thankfully keep Angus Crichton, who was charged for a high shot on Hunt and fined $3000.
Radley has suffered six concussions in four seasons but has spoken in the past about not being badly impacted by symptoms. Talk of him being forced into an early retirement is well wide of the mark, according to those close to him.
Of the nine tries the Broncos raced in on a slippery Allianz Stadium surface, nothing was going to top the four-pointer they scored in the 55th minute.
The passage of play started with Billy Walters, was finished by Ben Hunt in the left corner, and featured 11 passes and eight players.
When Roosters coach Trent Robinson spoke about his side losing on “last-play chaos”, the Hunt try would have been fresh in his mind.
Here is how it unfolded.
Holding Back Haas
Broncos wrecking ball Payne Haas does well to take a hit-up, dragging Roosters’ debutants Salesi Foketi and Taylor Losalu another five or six metres before playing the ball on Brisbane’s 45m line.
Walters passes to Adam Reynolds who notices Angus Crichton race out of the line. As a result, he gives a short ball to Jordan Riki.
“I saw an opportunity, they were kick-pressuring pretty much one out, there was a lot of space there, so you want to take that when you get an opportunity – we try to be a threat on all tackles,” Reynolds said.
Mariner on Marky Mark
Jordan Riki keeps shuffling the ball right to Deine Mariner when Roosters’ five-eighth Sandon Smith shoots out of the line – not for the first time during the game – which leaves rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase unsure whether to commit to Mariner on his inside, or winger Selwyn Cobbo on his outside.
By the time he committed, Nawaqanitawase was too late in trying to stop Mariner, who made another 10 metres before falling to the ground.
“I saw some space and wanted to back myself,” Mariner said. “I saw all the boys pushing up through the middle, so I thought I’d try to offload and see what the boys could do. I was pretty confident there would be support in the middle.”
Hunt shapes to kick
Mariner’s pass flies through the air before Jack Gosiewski taps the ball back to Billy Walters, who does well to keep the ball alive for Ben Hunt, despite Roosters skipper James Tedesco breathing down his neck.
Hunt has to reach backwards with his right hand to collect the ball, feigns to kick, only to realise Chooks’ pair Rob Toia and Dominic Young are both in-field.
“The whole time I was thinking if I get the ball, I’m going to kick it,” Hunt said. “I looked up and realised we had numbers [on the outside]. I didn’t think I’d get the ball back. I thought Gehamat was going to get tackled and die in the corner with the ball.”
King Arthars
Hunt finds Gehamat Shibasaki who fires an early pass to Jesse Arthars. Arthars dummies, then runs back in-field, avoids being tripped by Young (the English winger was lucky his stray left boot never made contact), then flicks the ball back for Shibasaki.
Despite looking like he was going to be cleaned up with the ball, Shibasaki chest passes the ball to an unmarked Hunt on the wing, who sprints 10 metres to score.
Andrew Johns said on the Nine commentary: “The entertainers, have a look at them – they are really enjoying themselves. Running the ball on the last play, they backed themselves.”
It was a perfect return to Broncos colours for Hunt, and a perfect start for Brisbane and their supporters.
The same could not be said for the Roosters.
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