Broncos blowout Tigers despite error-riddled performance

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Brisbane Broncos v Wests Tigers

The Broncos have overcome 14 errors, a 10-5 penalty count and a 4-2 ruck infringement margin to pick up a dominant 46-22 win over the Wests Tigers.

The Broncos opened the scoring early, when a seven-tackle set led into a Ben Hunt grubber, which bounced squarely into the hands of Jesse Arthars for his first try of the night. But the Tigers hit back soon after, when a period of sustained pressure made them crack, a Lachlan Galvin grubber weighted perfectly for Luke Laulilii to score in the corner.

Brendan Piakura was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle not too long after, and while the Broncos weathered the storm well in the early part of being down to 12, the Tigers soon scored through a ridiculous series of events - Galvin forced a dropout, which Adam Reynolds put deep trying to find the sideline. Adam Dueihi picked up the ball, which soon made it's way to Jahream Bula picks it up, who beat Jack Gosiewski in the middle of the field and found Sunia Turuva to score in the corner. Then minutes later - with the Broncos back to 13 men - Starford To'a crossed for his first try after a slick play by Latu Fainu and Bula.

But the Tigers first three conversion attempts - firstly by Apisai Koroisau, then Tallyn Da Silva, and finally Doueihi - all missed, leaving the score 12-6 after 35 minutes. Just as it seemed the Tigers were happy to take the score into half time, the Broncos struck - first through Xavier Willison scoring with a stretched arm out of dummy half, and then an Adam Reynolds two-point drop goal to give them a 14-12 lead at the break.

The Broncos started the second half the way they ended the first, with a Hunt 40/20 paving the way for Willison to crash over minutes into the resumption, before a successful chip-and-chase by Reynolds gave them a 26-12 lead wfter 45 minutes. The Tigers were able to stem the bleeding, and even hit back through a charging run by Sione Fainu, but it was clear they had been shell shocked.

Arthars was able to pick up his double shortly before the hour mark of the game, the try coming off the back of a lovely pass by Reece Walsh, then went back to back for the second time in the game after Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo combined to put Billy Walters over. The Broncos added to their score 10 minutes later when Gehamat Shibasaki scored off a Walsh kick, and the Tigers picked up a consolation try through To'a. The Wests centre then went to the sin bin for a professional foul on the last play of the game, with Walsh knocking over a penalty goal after the siren.

The Broncos will be left stressing however, with Reynolds exiting the game after 45 minutes with what he described as hamstring tightness he picked up while converting his own try. While no one in the Broncos seemed to think the injury was overly serious, he will be unlikely to feature next week given the clubs six day turnaround.

Two players who will certainly be ruled out for Round 6 however are Latu Fainu, who was left needing a category 1 head injury assessment shortly after Reynolds' injury, and Brendan Piakura, who was left unconscious after a sickening collision with Alex Twal just minutes out from full time.