Brisbane pulled off an incredible comeback, overturning a 16-point deficit to defeat a wasteful Cronulla 34-28. Broncos fullback Reece Walsh was the spark that ignited their resurgence.
It looked like the Broncos were down and out when Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey darted over from dummy half in the 56th minute, putting Cronulla up 28-12 in front of 39,042 fans at Suncorp Stadium. But the home side had other plans, scoring four tries in just 18 minutes, with Walsh setting up two, to snatch fifth position on the ladder from the Sharks.
“I guess we expect Reece to come up with those things. He just keeps competing,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said.
“The captain (Adam Reynolds) spoke to them at halftime and sharpened them up a bit.
“It was pleasing that with their backs against the wall … to fight the way they did and get the win at the end.
The match was not without its dramatic moments. Sharks forward Teig Wilton was taken to hospital in the first half after suffering blurred vision from an eye injury. Then, just before halftime, Sharks winger Sione Katoa had what was described as a “brain explosion,” getting sin-binned for a ridiculous touch on Ezra Mam while he was on the ground in the ruck.
Despite the Sharks being a man down, the Broncos couldn’t capitalise immediately. Brailey scored from close range, and the result seemed secured for Cronulla. However, the Sharks then completely fell apart.
Broncos winger Ronaldo Mulitalo was ruled to have knocked on, and Walsh made the Sharks pay with a pinpoint pass to centre Gehamat Shibasaki. Sharks five-eighth Braydon Trindall then kicked out on the full, allowing Broncos winger Josiah Karapani to storm in, even as Sharks half Nicho Hynes fell over claiming an obstruction.
Skipper Adam Reynolds then weaved through traffic and delivered a basketball-style pass for Karapani to complete his second try in as many weeks. Reynolds nailed the conversion from the sideline, giving Brisbane a 30-28 lead. The comeback was sealed when Walsh carved through Hynes to set up Shibasaki for his second try of the night.
“Our discipline to stick to our plan and defence has been poor for weeks. Even when we were leading, you could see signs we were hanging on,” Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon said.
“I’m not going to sit here and make excuses. We need to do something about it. We’ve got to address our discipline.”
The first half was a bizarre affair, with the Sharks leading 22-12 at the break. Brisbane’s kicking game and line speed were poor, with fullback Walsh even giving up two seven-tackle sets. The Sharks, in contrast, attacked with freedom, with halves Trindall and Hynes playing key roles.
Trindall set up centre Siosifa Talakai for a try and then put Wilton through a gaping hole, with fullback William Kennedy finishing it off for a 10-0 lead.
The Sharks had opened the scoring through Talakai after Broncos winger Jesse Arthars spilt a bomb. Kennedy scored his second with a classic try after Hynes sent second-rower Briton Nikora on his way.
Trindall then put Hynes through for a stroll to make it 22-6, after Broncos hooker Cory Paix darted over from dummy-half for a soft try. Mam’s try just before halftime kept the home side in the contest, setting the stage for their incredible second-half turnaround.
Source: Australian Associated Press (AAP)
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