Brisbane have scored 34 points to 2 in just over 40 minutes - 22 of those coming in the final nine minutes, to belt a Dragons side that struggled to keep up as the match wore on, 40-18 at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
The Broncos dominated possession in the opening 5 mins, but it was the Dragons who opened the scoring when they went to the shortside on the left where Zac Lomax received a pass where he was clearly outnumbered, but somehow drew two defenders before getting a pass to Mathew Feagai who got 1 on 1 with Jesse Arthars where the Dragons winger won the battle, scoring in the corner. Lomax failed to convert.
Brisbane very nearly equalised in the 10th minute when an Adam Reynolds kick downtown was allowed to bounce. Selwyn Cobbo flew down, tapped the ball over Tyrell Sloan, regathered and then offloaded back inside to Mam who looked to score - but the Bunker disallowed the try due to the tap on.
The Broncos finally got on the board in the 19th minute when a Reynolds grubber was regathered by Kotoni Staggs who spun out of the tackle and fell over the line to score. Reynolds converted from out wide.
In the 27th minute the Dragons reclaimed the lead when they sent the ball right where the defence met Jayden Su'A as he received a pass, but he got a lovely ball out the back to Tyrell Sloan sweeping around and he sliced through the edge defence to score. Lomax converted from out wide.
Lomax had an opportunity to further extend the lead in the 32nd minute but he failed to kick a penalty goal.
Jayden Sullivan drifted to the left and then somehow stumbled through a feeble tackle effort before strolling in for a soft try in the 35th minute. Lomax added the extras to give his side a 10 point lead.
Right on the stroke of halftime, Reynolds nailed a 2 point field goal to reduce the Dragons lead to 16-8 at halftime.
The Broncos started the second half with real intent. In the 44th minute, Cory Paix score a trademark rake try, diving over from dummy half. Reynolds converted and then 5 minutes later, he put in a cheeky grubber that popped up late for Staggs, who remarkably regathered and performs a mid-air somersault to get the ball down just inside the dead-ball line for a brilliant try. Reynolds failed to convert.
A Lomax penalty goal in the 58th minute levelled the scores.
In the 62nd minute, a powerful run and line break by Mikaele Ravalawa saw the Dragons get inside the Broncos half after 1 tackle. On the next play, Ben Hunt kicked down to the Broncos right corner where Lomax regathered but his hand touched the sideline inside the Broncos ingoal as he grounded the ball, denying him a try.
With the game in the balance, it was the Broncos who scored next in the 71st minute when Reynolds shaped to kick but then linked out wide on his right with Reece Walsh, who got outside his man before turning Cobbo back inside, who broke out of a tackle and raced over to score. Reynolds converted to give the Broncos a 24-18 lead with 7 minutes remaining.
In the very next set the Broncos scored again when Patrick Carrigan got a glorious around-the-corner offload to the flying Walsh, who raced 30 metres to score out wide on the left. Reynolds conversion from out wide was poor.
In the very next set the Broncos scored again when Payne Haas got a brilliant offload to Kurt Capewell who turns the ball inside to the unmarked Ezra Mam, who strolled over to score. Reynolds again converts.
The scoring didn't end there. At the end of the very next set they scored again when Staggs gets outside his man, runs down the right wing before flinging a pass infield where Walsh cleans it up, steps inside the sole defender and dives over to score. Reynolds converted to give the Broncos an impressive victory.