Broncos roll on, increase Titans' pain

It really was a tale of two halves at Suncorp tonight. Broncos halves. Peter Wallace inspired the Broncos in the first half while the Prince of Suncorp Darren Lockyer set up the win in the second half with a peerless attacking display which the Titans were unable to match.

The Broncos scored through Sam Thaiday (3rd minute) after good lead up work from boom youngster Jack Reed sent the ball his way. A Jharal Yow-Yeh error then allowed the Titans to hit straight back through former Bronco Steve Michaels. The sides scored a try a piece with Wallace and Scott Prince featuring heavily and added a number of unforced errors to go into the break locked at 10 apiece. The Titans would have been the happier with their first half effort with their outside backs making some good metres from dummy half to get them momentum. With the Broncos coming off a bye the second term was always going to be a case of the Titans being able to match Brisbane's energy, especially after losing Ashley Harrison early with a hyper-extended elbow.

Lockyer then capitalised on Greg Bird being injured and out of the line to slice through from inside his own half and send Yow-Yeh on his way in the 42nd minute. The Titans tried hard and looked a much better side than in previous weeks but the probing runs of the Broncos young outside backs - led by Josh Hoffman - began to find gaps. With Lockyer guiding them beautifully it was only a matter of time before they cracked.

It was Yow-Yeh who blew the game wide open with a spectacular try in the 64th minute. Lockyer bombed from half way and though his team mates seemed to have given up on it Yow-Yeh never took his peepers off the pill, adding another try to his burgeoning highlight reel.

Lockyer ended the night with a magic grubber that fooled everyone except Hoffman who gleefully accepted the offering next to the uprights. The Broncos looked ominous with their young side showing signs of future-greatness and one wonders what the score line would have been if it were dry on the night. For the Titans it is another loss but they were brave and should take plenty from their first half effort.

Match Details
Brisbane Broncos 30 defeated Gold Coast Titans 10
National Rugby League - Round 19 (Rivalry Round) - Friday July 15, 2011 7:30pm
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Referee: Gavin Badger and Chris James
Video Referee: Tim Mander
Touch Judges: Adam Reid and Michael Wise
Crowd: 31,035
Halftime: Brisbane Broncos 10 Gold Coast Titans 10

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Darren Lockyer
2 Points - Peter Wallace (1 Conversion)
1 Point - Josh Hoffman (1 Try)

Brisbane Broncos (30)
Tries: Justin Hodges, Sam Thaiday, Josh Hoffman, Jharal Yow Yeh (2)
Conversions: Corey Parker (3/4), Peter Wallace (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Corey Parker (1/1)

Gold Coast Titans (10)
Tries: Steve Michaels, David Mead
Conversions: Scott Prince (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary A very good evening to you all out there in Rugby League land and welcome to Rivalry round 19. My name is Luke and i'll be taking you through the clash tonight between the Brisbane Broncos and the Gold Coast Titans at Suncorp Stadium. The Broncos are sitting comfortably inside the 8 and will be looking to build towards the finals with a victory over the last placed Titans. Just about everyone will have locked in the Broncos in this one but if you look back over the past few years these two sides have thrown up some absolute rip-snorters!
The temperature is 14 degrees in Brisbane tonight and with a few showers around it might be a slippery old night.

Stay tuned for the final team sheets as they come to hand, though one thing is for certain - Mat Rogers will not be playing after breaking his hand and 're-retiring'. Reminds me of Mick Devere's one game comeback effort in 2009!! Anyway, good on you Mat. A wonderful ambassador for the game and dual international.
Team Lists: For the Broncos Mitchell Dodds moves into the starting prop position in place of Scott Anderson with Dunamis Lui moving onto the bench. Other than that the Broncos have all their Origin players back on deck. The Titans are 1-17 as per program minus Mat Rogers who has retired.. again.
Scott Prince leads the Titans out onto Suncorp and here comes Darren Lockyer and the Broncos. Kickoff shortly!!
1 min: Lockyer kicks off and we are underway.
1 min: PENALTY - Brisbane. Solid first set from the Titans is ruined by their chasers being inside the 10.
3 min: TRY
The Broncos spread it wide to boom centre Jack Reed who steps off his left three times and offloads back infield and it is Sam Thaiday who scores just to the right of the posts. Corey Parker kicks the simple conversion.
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
6 min: Jharal Yow-Yeh knocks on from a Prince kick. He attacked the ball when he should have let it come to him in the wet! Titans on the attack now 25 metres out!
7 min: TRY
Great set move from the Titans sees Luke Bailey draw two defenders then flick it back to Prince who fires a sensational 30 metre pass onto Steve Michael's chest and he dives over in the left corner. Prince kicks the sideline conversion!
6 all
9 min: PENALTY - Titans. Ben Hannant is ruled to have raked the ball in a two man tackle.
11 min: Line dropout Broncos as a Prince kick holds up nicely in the in goal.
12 min: 20 metre restart to the Broncos after Prince's cross-field kick is knocked on by David Mead.
13 min: PENALTY - Broncos. Greg Bird lays all over the Broncos player and the ref says 'you can't do that mate'.
14 min: Justin Hodges has a case of white-line fever with a grubber for himself but it turns out ok as the Titans tap it dead. Line dropout Titans.
15 min: Josh Hoffman throws a pass into the crowd and it's good pressurising defense from the Titans.
16 min: INJURY - Ashley Harrison has gone off with a right arm injury. A hyper-extended elbow. The Doctor is looking at him and will decide if he is to take any further part.
19 min: PENALTY - Titans. Gerard Beale drops a kick and Hoffman picks it up in an offside position. Though Bird knocks on early in the count for the Titans.
20 min: Mead has done a Yow-Yeh and knocked on with no pressure. Broncos attacking the Titans line.
22 min: It is really bucketing down now. The kicking games will be so important from now on!
24 min: A few errors creeping into the game. The Titans looking the better in the ruck though.
25 min: PENALTY - Titans. Matt Srarma finds Hannant offside from marker.
25 min: Bailey loses it inches from the Broncos line. Scrum feed Broncos 10 out from their own line.
28 min: Steve Michaels can't handle a Prince rain-maker close to the Broncos line and they will work it out from their danger zone again. The Broncos looking tired in the wet.
27 min: PENALTY - Broncos. Mark Minichiello ruled to have not played the ball correctly?? I'm not sure about that one but the Broncos are on the attack now.
30 min: TRY
Great stuff from one of the greatest half backs ever to lace on a boot..jokes.. He did well though Peter Wallace, stepping back on the inside a couple of times and showing great strength to offload and it was a matter of quick hands for Hodges to score out wide. Parker misses the conversion.
Brisbane Broncos 10-6
33 min: PENALTY - Titans. Wallace is ruled in front of the Lockyer grubber on half way. The Titans would love to get one straight back.
34 min: PENALTY - Titans. Clinton Toopi looked to have lost it but Thaiday is ruled to have interfered with the pill.
35 min: TRY
Mead runs straight through a weak attempted tackle from Beale. Bodene Thompson touched it but it was ruled to have gone backwards. Prince misses the sideline conversion and it's all locked up at Suncorp.
10 all
37 min: PENALTY - Titans. Dodds is ON REPORT for a swinging arm on Bird. Didn't look bad but Bird sure knows how to pull a penalty!
38 min: William Zillman almost goes in off a Prince grubber but Hoffman just gets in his way meaning he couldn't handle it and the Broncos will feed the 10 metre scrum.
40 min: HALF TIME

Brisbane Broncos 10
Gold Coast Titans 10

Well it was very wet out there so you can't really blame the players for all the dropped pill. Despite the errors it has been entertaining with both sides capitalising on penalties. I think the scoreline accurately reflects the match so far. No-one has really dominated though the nippy Titans outside backs have slightly edged the Broncos young guns in gaining momentum from dummy half runs. If it continues to pour expect much more of that one out running. See you back here after the break..
40 min: Teams making their way back out on the field. Titans to kick off.
41 min: Prince kicks off and we're underway at Suncorp.
42 min: TRY
Vintage Lockyer carves up the Titans right side defence and he draws the full back to put Yow-Yeh over. A 65 metre effort that! Parker kicks the conversion.
Brisbane Broncos 16-10
44 min: Prince passes to no-one near half way and the Broncos will start the set in good field position.
46 min: PENALTY - Broncos. Toopi took Yow-Yeh out in attempting to catch the Wallace kick. Hodges has a minor scuffle with former team mate 'Ralphy' Michaels. Nothing in it.
47 min: Matt Gillet knocks on close to the line and the pressure is released.
48 min: PENALTY - Titans. Ruck infringement from the Broncos.
50 min: Hannant loses it backwards but the refs say it hit an opposing player. Pressure released again!
51 min: Broncos looking sharp here, making some good metres.
52 min: Zillman loses it in the tackle 25 out from his own line. Big chance for Brisbane.
54 min: PENALTY - Titans. Hodges is ruled to have received a wobbly Hoffman kick in an offside position and the attempted try won't count.
56 min: PENALTY - Broncos. Parker will try for the two points after Mead changed direction to take Jack Reed out in chasing the Lockyer bomb.
57 min: PENALTY GOAL
And Parker puts the Broncos 8 points ahead.
Brisbane Broncos 18-10
62 min: Titans scrum feed just inside their own half after a knock on from Thaiday. Minichiello looked to have 'assisted' the error.
64 min: TRY
Awesome...just awesome from Yow-Yeh. Lockyer put up a huge bomb from the half way mark and Yow-Yeh chased through and never took his eyes off the ball to pluck it out of the air (and Capewell's hands). Parker nails the conversion.
Brisbane Broncos 24-10
67 min: Differential penalty to the Titans from the scrum....! Feet across in the scrum...??
69 min: Titans scrum feed 20 from their own line after a Broncos error from Corey Parker.
70 min: PENALTY - Titans. Differential again...?? Broncos players unbound at the scrum.. What's doing with some of these calls.. seriously...?
72 min: Titans caught in possession on the last and the Broncos have it 30 from their own line.
73 min: Razzle-dazzle from Gillett who chips for Lockyer who then wrong foots Capewell but the last pass goes astray and the Titans have it. It's turned into a touch footy game!
76 min: Bodene Thompson is being talked to after throwing the ball at Parker's head causing a melee. Penalty Broncos.
78 min: Video Ref Decision. Possible Broncos try to Hoffman. Checking onside.
78 min: TRY
Hoffman dives on a superb inswinging grubber from Lockyer and that's the game for the Broncos. Peter Wallace adds the extras, slipping over in doing so.
Brisbane Broncos 30-10
Brisbane Broncos 30-10
80 min: FULL TIME

Brisbane Broncos 30 defeated Gold Coast Titans 10. Stay tuned for the match report!