Parramatta Eels wo 40-32 against Brisbane Broncos in front of 39,015 fans at Lang Park on Thursday night to kick off Round 2.
The Eels came back from 14-points down to win a game which saw four players bag doubles and a loss which leaves the defending premiers 0-2 to start their Premiershi defence.
After a game to forget last week, Reece Walsh lit up the game early tonight. He showed off his swift feet and left the Eels bamboozled to make it 6-0.
Broncos were in full flow early in the game, Adam Reynolds had the ball on a string. He punched through a kick for Kotoni Staggs to add their second.
Eels needed a spark and it came from Kelma Tuilagi. He steamed onto a short ball and showed off his leg speed to make the distance to the try-line.
Brisbane went close twice to adding to their score, once Jordan Rikki somehow was unable to ground the ball and a contest in the air denied Ezra Mam.
They did extend their lead to eight from the tee. Reynolds added a penalty goal after the penalty which came from the Mam no try to make it 14-6.
It looked all too easy for the Broncos in this game. Patrick Carrigan produced some lovely interplay with Payne Haas who strolled through a hole to get a four-pointer.
The visitors needed something to get back into the game. They were pushing forward well then Jonah Pezet tried to kick for himself and it ended up popping out for Ryley Smith to score.
Buoyed by that, the Eels brought it back within four. Another superb short ball from Pezet saw Tuilagi brush through to get his second of the contest.
Parramatta turned the game around late in the second half. They were bending the line at will then Isaiah Iongi sliced through the gap to make it 22-20 at the break.
The Eels continued to pepper the Broncos in the second half, Walsh made an error from a kick and Iongi slipped through again for his second four-pointer.
This game refused to calm down. Walsh cut through the Eels defence to get the Broncos on the front foot. Reynolds almost got stuck on last, offloads and Mam kicks for Staggs to get a brace.
There was a quick moment of calm from the tee. Broncos were pinged for an infringment at the scrum and Moses piloted through the kick to make it 28-26.
You can't keep Walsh down for long in this game. Staggs started it scooped up a loose pass to get them going then Walsh kicked for himself to also be in the double club.
Leads aren't safe in this game. Eels got given field possession after a few Broncos errors then Pezet puts a kick in no man's land and it spat out to Sean Russell to score. Moses converted for 34-32.
It was fitting that Pezet sealed the game, against his future employers. He kicked ahead and watched it bounce right back to him for a four-point alongside four try-assists in the game.