Broncos strangle sloppy Sea Eagles

The Brisbane Broncos have registered a comfortable 22-6 victory over a disappointing Manly side in this afternoon's encounter in front of 11316 drenched fans at Brookvale Oval.

The Sea Eagles wasted no time in registering first points of the afternoon when centre Tony Williams stormed his way over Broncos counterpart Alex Glenn to score the opening try in driving rain. In Jamie Lyon's absence, second rower Shane Rodney then converted from out wide to give the Eagles the start they would have been looking for. The Broncos hit back in the 18th minute through Israel Folau. Captain Darren Lockyer launched a bomb towards Manly fullback Ben Farrer and Folau leaped over the top of the custodian before racing away to score out wide. Corey Parker's unsuccessful conversion left the scoreline at 6-4 which would be the half-time score despite the Broncos leading the line-breaks 4-1. Manly's scrambling defence would time and time again come to the rescue, while their halves appeared to be out of sync in the opening 40 minutes. Broncos coach Ivan Henjak would have been very pleased with his sides first half performance after they barely touched the ball for the opening 10 minutes, although he would have been disappointed they didn't come up with more points from their line-breaks.

The Broncos put their noses in front in the 46th minute when interchange player Ben Hunt dived over from dummy half to score a soft try. It would be a lead the Broncos would then never look like relinquishing as the Sea Eagles bumbled their way through the remainder of the match. Fullback Josh Hoffman sealed the deal for the Broncos 13 minutes from fulltime when he chimed into a perfect set play to take a subtle inside pass from Sam Thaiday to race 30 metres and score in the corner. Corey Parker's sideline conversion extended the Broncos lead to double figures and Israel Folau scored his second try of the afternoon when he followed Lockyer and like Hoffman, took an inside pass to score under the posts and ensure the Broncos fourth-successive victory as they look to continue to climb the NRL ladder, making as little fuss as possible. The Eagles day was further soured six minutes from fulltime when NSW representative Anthony Watmough left the field with a possible leg injury which may yet rule him out of State Of Origin Two when NSW selectors sit down to discuss the team tomorrow night.

For the Broncos, they tackle the Rabbitohs next Sunday, while Manly travel to the Gold Coast next Friday night to tackle the Titans, who suffered their third successive loss this weekend, going down 28-24 to the Raiders in Canberra.

Match Details
Manly Sea Eagles 6 were defeated by Brisbane Broncos 22
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 13 - Sunday June 6, 2010 3:00pm
Venue: Brookvale Oval
Referee: Jared Maxwell and Chris James
Video Referee: Sean Hampstead
Touch Judges: Jeff Younis and Russell Turner
Crowd: 11316
Halftime: Manly Sea Eagles 6 Brisbane Broncos 4

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Sam Thaiday
2 Points - Darren Lockyer
1 Point - Corey Parker (3 Conversions)

MANLY SEA EAGLES (6)
Tries: Tony Williams
Conversions: Shane Rodney (1/1)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (22)
Tries: Josh Hoffman, Ben Hunt, Israel Folau (2)
Conversions: Corey Parker (3/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary And welcome here to Brookvale Oval for this afternoon's encounter between the Sea Eagles and Broncos. In team news, the Broncos will be as named on Tuesday, while Manly have a few changes to their team named earlier in the week. Joe Galuvao is out, meaning Chris Bailey will shift back to the bench to take that vacant position. In the run-on side, Kieran Foran will go from the centres to five-eight, Tony Williams will go from the wing into the centres and William Hopoate will come onto the wing.
1 min: And we're underway here at a wet Brookvale Oval where light rain continues to fall. Manly will kick off and Brisbane will have first use of the ball.
1 min: Yow Yeh juggled the ball from the kick-off and luckily for the Broncos the referees waved play on.
2 min: Hodkinson with a raking fifth-tackle kick has forced a dropout and Manly will go on the attack early here.
3 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Tony Williams. Conversion attempt by Shane Rodney successful.
Williams opens the scoring out on the eastern side of Brookvale Oval. He bounces out of a few feeble attempted tackles by the Broncos to give the Eagles a dream start.
Manly Sea Eagles 6-0
6 min: Ballin has attempted a 40-20 and Hoffman has gone to pick the ball up, but slipped on the greasy surface and gone into touch and the Eagles will again go on the attack.
7 min: Hoffman has made up for his error by swooping on an untidy Foran grubber on the fifth tackle and the Broncos will try to work the ball off their own line.
9 min: The rain is now driving down, but both teams handling to date has been first class.
10 min: The Broncos have made a mistake in possession and Manly will now go on the attack to extend their lead
11 min: Foran's kick towards the winger has sailed over his head and Manly's halves appear to be a little kick-happy. Manly have had all the ball, but only lead by six points, which should give the Broncos some confidence as they work the ball upfield.
12 min: Some enterprising play from Darren Lockyer saw him in some open space, but the Manly defence converged and Folau was held up from the ensuing tackle.
13 min: Winterstein allows the Eagles off the hook as the Broncos try to get a foothold into this match. The rain appears to have set in and both teams will have to be vigilant with their handling.
14 min: PENALTY Manly. Tronc penalised for taking too long on the tackled player and Manly will find touch on the western side of the ground.
15 min: Jharal Yow Yeh has stretched full-length and knocked the ball out of Robertson's hands as he went to score the try on the eastern side of the ground. Some great play by Yow Yeh.
18 min: TRY
TRY Brisbane Broncos
Scored by Israel Folau. Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Israel Folau scores the Broncos first try of the afternoon, leaping over Manly fullback Farrar and taking Lockyer's well-placed bomb to score 10 metres in from the western touchline.
Manly Sea Eagles 6-4
20 min: The Broncos have come up with consecutive errors from the kick-off, but luckily for them the Eagles weren't awake to take advantage.
21 min: PENALTY Brisbane. Kite penalised for taking too long to get off the tackled player.
22 min: Gillett trickles a grubber into the in-goal which is kicked dead by Hopoate. Another repeat set for the Broncos here.
24 min: Te'o has put Lockyer's pass down as Whare jammed in and the Eagles breathe a sigh of relief.
28 min: Both teams have settled into this encounter and after the opening five to ten minutes of the match, the Broncos appear to be doing things a little better than the Eagles.
29 min: The rain continues to bucket down and Robertson has taken Lockyer's bomb very well, looking into the rain, despite the attention of the Brisbane defenders.
33 min: Some scrambling defence by the Eagles has thwarted yet another Broncos attacking raid.
36 min: PENALTY Manly. Hoffman sliced through the Manly defence, dropping the ball and the Brisbane player in front of him in an offside position picked up the ball.
36 min: Rose is bundled into touch from the tap-kick on the first tackle.
39 min: Lockyer drills the ball into touch, which may be one of the final plays in the first half.
40 min: Halftime here at a very wet and windy Brookvale Oval where Manly lead Brisbane 6-4 in a dour contest. Brisbane have made more clean breaks, but their only try came via Israel Folau. Tony Williams scored the Eagles one and only try.
40 min: The rain continues to bucket down as the second half gets underway. Manly have first use of the ball in the second stanza.
41 min: Foran's kick on the fourth-tackle has sailed out on the full as the wind picked it up and carried it over the sideline.
41 min: Folau drops the ball despite the close attention of Brent Kite.
44 min: The referee has had the ball kicked into him, so the Broncos will have the ball back as they were in the attacking part of the field.
45 min: Wallace's grubber kick has been knocked-on by Stewart as he went to pick up the ball when he would have been best advised to fall on the ball instead.
46 min: TRY
TRY Brisbane Broncos
Scored by Ben Hunt. Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Hunt has dived over from dummy half and scored a very soft try to put the Broncos in front for the first time today.
Brisbane Broncos 10-6
50 min: Watmough has come up with a try-saver on Israel Folau that may be a big play in terms of eventual winners here this afternoon.
51 min: Ballin knocks on at dummy half after a sloppy play-the-ball from the winger Hopoate. Brisbane will feed the scrum and go on the attack again.
52 min: The Broncos have knocked the ball on through Mitchell Dodds as they looked to extend their lead.
54 min: Chris Bailey has reeled out of a tackle on Ashton Sims clutching a left shoulder or collar-bone and has been replaced immediately.
56 min: Ashton Sims has lost the ball in the tackle as the rain continues to fall and Manly, cheered on by their home crowd get a rare chance to venture into the Brisbane 20 metre zone.
57 min: Watmough has knocked on a Foran bullet-like pass and the Broncos now have the ball.
59 min: Ballin has made a half-break and gone to play the ball quickly, but lost the ball in doing so.
60 min: Wallace's cross-field kick on tackle 5 has been knocked on by Alex Glenn and Manly will get a free walk out to the 20.
66 min: PENALTY Brisbane. Watmough penalised for being the second man in a one-on-one steal.
67 min: TRY
TRY Brisbane Broncos
Scored by Josh Hoffman. Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Thaiday has set up the winning try for the Broncos, delivering a perfect pass back on the inside which saw Hoffman race away to score in the corner and guarantee the two competition points for the Broncos.
Brisbane Broncos 16-6
71 min: Robertson has raced down the sideline and come to the 10m line and then kicked the ball over the deadball line which sums up a sorry day for the Sea Eagles.
74 min: Watmough has left the field with a possible knee or groin problem which may have some serious repercussions for the NSW Origin side.
75 min: TRY
TRY Brisbane Broncos
Scored by Israel Folau. Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Israel Folau follows Lockyer up the middle of the field and the Queensland general delivered a great inside pass to send Folau away to blow the game open.
Brisbane Broncos 22-6
80 min: Fulltime here at a very wet Brookvale Oval and the Brisbane Broncos have come away with a comfortable 22-6 victory over a disappointing Manly outfit.