Broncos too good for overwhelmed Tigers

The Brisbane Broncos have overcome a second half fightback from the Wests Tigers, to run out winners 42-16 at Suncorp Stadium this afternoon.

The Tigers started strongly, but it was the Broncos who were first to post points. A huge break from Ben Hunt, followed by some great support play saw Lachlan Maranta cross under the posts. With Corey Parker's conversion, the Broncos took an early 6-0 lead.

The Broncos scored again in the 18th minute, this time thanks to a lovely draw and pass from dummy half by Andrew McCullough that saw Alex Glenn grab his first try of the match.

Another short ball was the catalyst for the Broncos' third try, as Adam Blair and Jarrod Wallace combined to put Wallace over under the posts. Parker converted from straight in front.

Glenn picked up his second in the 36th minute from a delicate Anthony Milford kick, before Jack Reed finished the first half with a try of his own in the 39th minute.

The second half started poorly for the Broncos, with some brilliant attack and displays of speed working well for the Tigers. Tries to Ava Seumanufagai, Manaia Cherrington and Mitchell Moses, as well as two successful conversions, saw the Tigers race to 16 points in as many minutes.

But that was a close as the away side got.

Two second half tries to Lachlan Maranta, and a late try to Corey Oates, saw the Broncos put on 16 points of their own in the second half, to run out winners 42-16.

The Tigers will take on the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium next weekend, while the Broncos will take on the Gold Coast Titans at Suncorp Stadium.

Match Details

Brisbane Broncos 42 Wests Tigers 16
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 37260
Halftime Score: Brisbane Broncos 26 Wests Tigers 0

BRISBANE BRONCOS (42)
Tries: Lachlan Maranta (3), Alex Glenn (2), Jarrod Wallace, Jack Reed, Corey Oates
Field Goals:
Conversions: Corey Parker (4/6), Jordan Kahu (1/2)
Penalty Goals:

WESTS TIGERS (16)
Tries: Ava Seumanufagai, Manaia Cherrington, Mitchell Moses
Field Goals:
Conversions: Pat Richards (2/3)
Penalty Goals:

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Ben Hunt
2 points - Alex Glenn
1 point - Justin Hodges

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Suncorp Stadium this afternoon for this clash between the top-of-the-table Brisbane Broncos, and the (currently) bottom-of-the table Wests Tigers.

The Broncos are as per program, 1-17, with Daniel Vidot dropping off the extended bench.

The Wests Tigers have a late big-name inclusion with Curtis Sironen named on the bench in jersey 22. He replaces Brenden Santi on the interchange bench. The Tigers are otherwise unchanged.

Both teams just taking the field now - we're about to get underway!

Game on! Pat Richards kicks off for the Tigers, and Adam Blair takes the first hitup.

1: Good first set from the Broncos, making 50 metres and then tackling the Tigers 20 metres out from their own line.

2: Milford attempts a run from dummy half, but he can't get away from the markers.

3: Ben Hunt kicks very high on the last, but Tedesco catches it cleanly and makes ten metres before the chasers can bring him down.

3: The Tigers use the short side, passing to a very narrow blindside and hitting Kevin Naiqama. Naiqama kicks back inside and they almost force a line drop out.

4: Good defence on that set from the Tigers, keeping the Broncos within 30 metres. The kick on the last is ugly, going out over the sideline.

6: Taupau spinning away from tacklers. The Tigers play the ball only 10 metres out. On the last they opt to run the ball, before they get a rushed kick away.

7: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Lachlan Maranta. Kick to come.
After going nowhere for 3 sets, the Broncos have scored against the run of play. Ben Hunt makes a break, is almost tackled, but gets back up, before the Broncos send the ball out to the left of the field for Maranta to score in the corner. They ran 70 metres in that one play to score completely against the run of play. Some suggestion that Ben Hunt should have been called held, but the referee awards the try.

7: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Corey Parker has no problem with the conversion, and the Broncos take an early lead.

9: The Broncos get the first penalty of the game, and kick their way downfield.

10: McCullough darts for the line, but is dragged down. On the last Corey Parker attempts to back into the defence and stretch out, but he's stopped just short.

11: Corey Parker is penalised now, after he lays on the tackled man for slightly too long. He protests, but the referee wants none of it.

12: The Tigers heavy on attack now, they're dragged down 1 metre short on the third. On the next tackle the Broncos attempt to take the winger out over the sideline, but stop just short. On the last the Tigers kick but the Broncos tidy up.

14: Luke Brooks kicks for the line and just slows the game down a little. There's no rush to pack the scrum.

16: Bit of a worry for the Broncos, as Hodges stays down after the last tackle.

16: The Tigers are penalised for being offside, and the Broncos get a massive piggyback out of their own end, instead tapping the ball just on the Tigers' side of halfway.

18: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Alex Glenn. Kick to come.
And from that penalty, Alex Glenn crashes over the tryline. McCullough takes a few steps from dummy half, before finding Glenn with a short pass.

19: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Somehow Corey Parker has missed the conversion from just left of the posts.

20: A good kick on the end of the next set from the Broncos, as they kick from halfway and manage to pull it up neatly in the in-goal. Kevin Naiqama brings it out from his own end.

22: The Tigers struggling a bit now - they're taking a while to get back onside after the Broncos kick, and they're starting every set from deep in their own half.

23: Jack Reed is penalised for jumping into the kicker with his arms raised. No attempt at a tackle, so the Tigers get the penalty from where the ball landed - 10 metres out from the Broncos line.

24: The Tigers send the ball to the left and have a massive overlap, but Jordan Kahu manages to knock the ball down before it got to Pat Richards. The Tigers will get a scrum feed.

25: We're checking on a possible try to the Tigers, but it looks like the ball has been dropped over the line.

NO TRY! Nathan Milone dives for the line, but rolls his hand over the ball and drops it over the line.

27: The Tigers lose the ball coming out of their own end. Matt Gillet picks it up and almost sprints to the line, but he's pulled down just short.

27: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jarrod Wallace. Kick to come.
And two plays later the Broncos have scored again. This time it's Jarrod Wallace, sprinting onto an Adam Blair short ball, and going over untouched between the posts.

27: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
This time Corey Parker converts successfully.

31: The Tigers attempt a no look short ball play out of dummy half just near the Broncos line. Tim Simona throws the pass but the ball goes forward.

33: At the other end of the field now the Broncos are on attack, and then get a new set after a high tackle. They'll start the set from within the Tigers 10 metres.

35: The Tigers have the ball, and are desperate to score points before half time, sending the ball from side to side at the moment.

35: Moses tries a little kick over the top, but Boyd read it well.

36: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Alex Glenn. Kick to come.
And now Anthony Milford puts in a lovely little grubber kick that bounces up perfectly for Alex Glenn to pick up his second try.

38: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu successful.
Jordan Kahu lines up for the conversion attempt with Corey Parker on the sideline. He puts it over the black dot.

39: On the next set the Broncos sprint down field after making a big break. We're going to the video referee to check if Jack Reed manages to stay in the field of play. Brilliant pass from Milford on that play, looking out but passing inside for Darius Boyd to make the break.

39: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jack Reed. Kick to come.
And the video referee has awarded the try! Jack Reed almost got dragged out under heavy attention from Kevin Naiqama, but he's managed to keep his foot in the air.

39: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu unsuccessful.
Kahu attempts the conversion from the left sideline but pushes it just wide.

40: And thats half time. The Broncos will be very happy with that first half, not just because the scored 26 points, but also because they have kept the Tigers to zero through some great defence.

40: We're back in the second half, with the Broncos kicking off to the Tigers to start play.

41: The Tigers get a bit lucky there, grubbering straight into the feet of a Broncos player and getting themselves a restarted tackle count.

44: The Broncos defence is pretty solid at the moment. Luke Brooks makes a half break due to some lazy marker defence, and Milford pushes the ball over the dead ball line, forcing a line dropout.

45: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Ava Seumanufagai. Kick to come.
Luke Brooks throws a pass to a rampaging Ava Seumanufagai - the pass looks a mile forward, but the referee is happy with it and awards the try. The Tigers get their first points of the match.

46: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Pat Richards easily converts from straight in front.

48: Good crowd of 37260 here this afternoon.

49: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Manaia Cherrington. Kick to come.
The Tigers get their second try not 5 minutes later, as Manaia Cherrington fights past some feeble defence.

49: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Pat Richards misses the conversion attempt.

51: The Broncos have came out after half time very slowly.

53: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Mitchell Moses. Kick to come.
Wow. Brilliant work from the Tigers, and they've scored yet another Try. Tedesco gets to the outside of his man on the kick return, before flicking to Naiqama, who throws it back inside to Moses to sprint away and score.

53: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
This time Pat Richards converts the try.

55: Keith Galloway is penalised now for kneeling on the tackled player.

58: Hodges makes a half break, but knocks the ball on.

59: Maranta makes a big break down field, but is hammered by Tedesco. Exciting stuff here at the moment.

60: On the third, Parcell makes a break. Last tackle, the Broncos attempt to work the right edge, but the pass finds Pat Richards. Hodges tackles him in the field of play, but then gets penalised for attempting to pick Richards up and throw him back into the in-goal area.

61: Massive 40/20 from the Tigers, the ball going out just 1 metre inside the corner post! Great opportunity for the Tigers.

62: Tim Simona is injured, he hasn't moved since getting accidentally hit in the head in the first tackle of the set.

62: Simona has been taken from the field.

63: The Tigers send the ball out to the right, but Tedesco's pass goes to ground.

66: The Tigers get penalised, and it's a silly one - on the last, and only ten metres out from their own line. They've gifted the Broncos an attacking opportunity.

66: Boyd attempts to go himself, but the gap closes around him.

67: On the last, Milford kicks into the in-goal, but Chris Lawrence bats it over the dead ball line.

69: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Lachlan Maranta. Kick to come.
Maranta has scored his second try of the day. The Broncos throw two long passes out to the left, before Jack Reed throws a pass for his winger. Naiqama knocks the ball down, but Maranta is there to dive on the loose ball.

70: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker converts from the left sideline.

73: Time running out quickly for the Tigers. They proved at the start of this half that they could score points quickly, but 16 points in 7 minutes is probably too big an ask.

74: Corey Oates makes a big break down field, but Tedesco ropes him in.

75: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Lachlan Maranta. Kick to come.
And Maranta gets his third. Simple stuff from the Broncos, just standing deep and sending it out to the left, and Maranta scores in the corner.

76: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker lines this kick up from the left of the goals, and puts it right over the black dot.

77: The Tigers attempt a short kick off, but the Broncos are ready for it.

78: Keith Galloway hits Ben Hunt late. Hunt then grabs Galloway's leg as he stands up, and Galloway goes crashing into the turf.

79: And from the resulting penalty, the Broncos work their way down field. Justin Hodges goes into dummy half, and finds Corey Oates on the wing, who dives for the tryline. Just checking the grounding...

79: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Corey Oates. Kick to come.
And it's a try. Oates crashed straight over the top of Pat Richards, and planted the ball for his try.

79: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Parker attempts the conversion from the right touchline this time, but sends it just left of the posts.

80: And that's the game. Milford attempts a miracle ball over the top to Lachlan Maranta with ten seconds left, but the ball goes way over his head. The Broncos held on through a strong period of play from the Tigers after half time, and then put on some good tries to run out winners 42-16.