By Joel Gould
Parramatta have wrapped up a home semi-final with a scintillating 53-6 win over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium, leaving the Broncos’ finals hopes in tatters.
The massacre by the Eels was bad enough for eighth-placed Brisbane’s for and against, but in a further blow, halfback Adam Reynolds failed an HIA in his 250th NRL game after leaving the field in the 13th minute.
That dire scenario was compounded by prop Tom Flegler being put on report for a shoulder charge on Reagan Campbell-Gillard before being taken to hospital with a throat injury.
The Broncos, walloped 60-12 the previous week by Melbourne, are on 28 competition points with a points difference of -26.
The door is now open for Canberra, in ninth on 26 points and with a -25 points difference, to move into the top eight with a win over Manly on Saturday.
The fifth-placed Eels, on 32 points, will now finish sixth at worst and are still a chance of making it into fourth if they beat Melbourne next week and the Storm lose to the Roosters on Friday night.
Isaiah Papali’i celebrates after scoring a late try for Parramatta.Credit:Getty
Eels back-rower Shaun Lane was in rampant form and had three try involvements by half-time.
Winger Maika Sivo scored his 12th try in nine games against Brisbane after Lane unleashed a killer offload to ignite the Eels. Lane put Sivo away and the flying Fijian kicked infield with superb skill for Tom Opacic to make it 12-0.
Eels half Mitchell Moses ignited one try for Clint Gutherson and started and finished a movement to score himself.
Lane iced the first half with another blockbusting run and offload to hand Gutherson his second try and give the Eels a 31-6 lead at the break.
Brisbane lost Kobe Hetherington to an HIA in the second half and Brenko Lee with a leg injury to compound their woes.
The Eels kicked away with four more tries as Gutherson reigned supreme.
The form of the Broncos, now with four losses in their past five games, has fallen off a cliff. The Eels have regained their mojo with four wins out of their last five and loom as genuine title threats.
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