The Broncos defeat the Raiders in a hard fought match on Saturday night.
Result
Brisbane Broncos 29
Tries: (6) Selwyn Cobbo 4th, 61st, 67th; Ezra Mam 34th; Reece Walsh 76th
Goals: (2) Kotoni Staggs 27th, 35th.
Field Goal: Reece Walsh 74th (1-point)
Canberra Raiders 18
Tries: (3) Matt Frawley 17th; Nick Cotric 31st; Hudson Young 37th
Goals: (3) Jamal Fogarty 18th, 38th, 44th (Pen)
Report
It was set to be a big night for both sides coming into this one, with the Raiders marking both Jarrod Croker and Jack Wighton’s last regular season home game for the club and the Broncos out to find their seventh straight win.
The Broncos headed into this match without the services of superstar halfback Adam Reynolds who was ruled out with a calf injury, but with a top four finish wrapped up, the pressure was largely on the home team.
The Canberra side found themselves in an almost must win situation heading into the second last game of the regular season, with four other sides with the ability to take their spot in the eight and most likely praying on their downfall.
The first half of this clash could not have been more evenly matched if they’d tried, with both sides scoring three tries and converting two, as well as confirming the old saying- “the most dangerous time on the field is after you’ve scored”.
It was Selwyn Cobbo who got things underway in just the fourth minute of play for the Brisbane outfit, before Matt Frawley hit back soon after, and gave the home side a narrow lead, with Jamal Fogarty able to convert and make four into six, a feat which Kotoni Staggs was unable to accomplish for the Broncos.
Going tit-for-tat, Staggs himself would then run in his sides second four-pointer for the evening, before successfully converting his own try.
An effort from Nick Cotric with ten left to play in the first half gave the Raiders a chance to level the scores again, but in a reversal from the first tries of the game, it was then Fogarty who was unable to convert and left the scores tied up once again.
Continuing the pattern, Ezra Mam then went over for the Broncos third of the evening and was closely followed by Hudson Young for the Canberra side. This time, both conversion attempts were successful, and the scores stood at 16 all going into the break.
The second half of the match was a complete shift in pace, with the Broncos coming out swinging. Cobbo grabbed his second for the night ten minutes after the resumption of play and followed it up with his third only minutes later.
It was then excitement machine that took a shot at a field goal and iced it, extending the Broncos lead.
Just to rub salt in the wound, the man of the moment Reece Walsh extended the Broncos lead once more in the final minutes of play.
Despite not managing to convert any of these tries, the Brisbane side kept a clean sheet throughout the second half (sans an early penalty conversion), leaving the final scores at 29-18, putting them in the box seat for the minor premiership and casting doubt over the Raiders finals hopes.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos)
2 – Reece Walsh (Broncos)
1 – Ezra Mam (Broncos)
