Brisbane Broncos continue return to form against Manly, after Magic Round gets off to rough start

Analysis Sport Brisbane Broncos continue return to form against Manly, after Magic Round gets off to rough start

A Brisbane Broncos fan cheers and puts both hands in the air.

Organisers decided months ago what the first game of Magic Round would be.

In some ways it's a prime slot — kicking off the most anticipated round since the opener — but it's also a graveyard slot — off free-to-air telly and starting as people get home from work or cook dinner.

It was also only ever going to be a curtain-raiser to the main event, Brisbane vs Manly .

With Newcastle dropping just below Canterbury to 16th on the ladder last week, it ensured the graveyard slot would be occupied by two teams effectively dead on arrival.

The NRL got lucky.

The people who turned up at 6pm on a Friday, less so.

While the Bulldogs seem spurred on by years of futile toil at the bottom of the ladder, energised by new faces and excited by the very prospect of building towards something, Newcastle appear shellshocked to find themselves where they are.

Their attack lacks spark, even with Kalyn Ponga at the back, although he looks more static than electric right now.

They managed to trip over the finish line first — 16-6 — but even Knights coach Adam O'Brien couldn't watch at one point, storming out of the box when Leo Thompson dropped the ball from here.

Newcastle Knights player Leo Thompson drops the ball under the posts during an NRL game against Canterbury Bulldogs.

Mercifully for Thompson and fittingly for the match, the Bulldogs went up the other end and Chris Patolo also dropped the ball cold.

Both mentors could have been forgiven for feigning health and safety protocols to get out of dodge, because there were any number of similar passages of play where the teams looked rudderless.

At the end of an energetic, if flawed, opening stanza, on the last play of the first half, Edrick Lee moved almost 20 metres in-field to slide out wide on a left-side shift. He got a wide ball from Kalyn Ponga and was met, by not just opposite number Jayden Okunbor, but Brent Naden. Then Kyle Flanagan. Then Tevita Pangai Jr.

The Bulldogs' sliding defence matched the lateral attack so easily that it must have stunned the Bulldogs that the Knights were making it that easy.

Newcastle Knights' Kalyn Ponga tries to fend off Canterbury Bulldogs' Max King.

The set before that, the ball went to ground between Lee and Bradman Best on a similarly ineffective slide. The play after that, Tex Hoy kicked dead on the full and crocked his shoulder.

Starting from 20 metres out with seven tackles under their belt, the Bulldogs replied by failing to run at the one-armed man defending at a narrow right centre, then knocked it on before reaching the third tackle.

In the second half, Newcastle strung together enough competent seconds for Ponga to put Bradman Best past some ordinary Bulldogs defence.

But, true to form, the Knights knocked on off the ensuing set. Continuing the theme, the Bulldogs failed to pack the scrum in time but were still allowed to play on, only to watch fullback Matt Dufty drop the ball on the scrumbase play.

It was a miracle Peter V'landys didn't get on the blower before full-time and change the rules to make this win only worth one point, but by the time it was over and the Lang Park light show started, it was clear that wasn't Magic Round's opening act; just the support act.

Broncos looking like an NRL team again, and a pretty good one at that

Corey Oates smiles and is hugged by three other players in white shirts

Before the 16-team, eight-game festival of footy was official, Manly had a habit of taking the occasional home game up to Brisbane.

That was evident in the support they got from the Lang Park crowd on Friday night, paired with a few refrains of Eagle Rock and coupled with some Brookvale-level booing of Adam Reynolds every time he lined up a shot at goal.

The bad news for those booing was that Reynolds was lining them up a lot. Seven times to be exact. And all of them went through — the only blemish being a wayward field-goal attempt late in the first half.

For the second week in a row, Reynolds played conductor, with Selwyn Cobbo and Corey Oates first and second chair violins, and Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan setting the tempo in the percussion section as the Broncos trampled their opponents.

Last week it was reigning grand finalists South Sydney , this week it was a Manly side with superstar Tom Trbojevic featuring in his second game back from injury.

But the gun fullback featured in the opening blunder of the game, allowing the kick-off to bounce between himself and Kieran Foran, rolling dead and handing possession back to the Broncos.

Reynolds and Cobbo combined for the first time, soon after, and Brisbane — 14th last year and stone-dead last in 2020 — were off and running.

Daly Cherry-Evans and another Manly player grab Corey Oates, who is upside down during an NRL game.

Freak starts like that have happened to Brisbane over the past two years, but they've almost always let them slip with silly mistakes, lazy defence and bad execution.

This time they never looked like slowing down.

Trbojevic was clearly labouring at the back and couldn't impact the game, but you got the sense even at the peak of his powers, the end result would have been the same (though maybe not as emphatic as the 38-0 scoreline that eventuated).

The aforementioned stars were of course excellent, as were Kurt Capewell, Kotoni Staggs and Herbie Farnworth.

Crucially, Billy Walters is hitting his stride, in this case meaning passes from dummy half are finally hitting Reynolds in stride, starting Brisbane's attack off on the right note more often than not.

Even the rain that has battered Brisbane for two weeks straight held off for most of the night, only really returning for the final 25 minutes to ensure Oates could have a fun slip and slide as he dove in for his double.

On a night when four NRL teams took to the park, the Broncos looked by far the most competent, complete and copacetic of the lot.

After watching them the past two years, if that's not enough to make you believe in magic, what is?

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  • Rugby League

Haas Wins Fourth-Straight Paul Morgan Medal As Chapman Crowned NRLW Player of the Year

Haas Wins Fourth-Straight Paul Morgan Medal As Chapman Crowned NRLW Player of the Year

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Prop Payne Haas has won a historic fourth consecutive Paul Morgan Medal as Brisbane Broncos’ NRL Player Of The Year, while backline star Jaime Chapman has been crowned NRLW Player Of The Year for 2022.

At just 22 years of age, Haas equals the great Allan Langer as the only other Bronco to win the award four times in a row. The prop’s win takes him past Darren Lockyer, Corey Parker and Petero Civoniceva who each won the Paul Morgan Medal three times – only Langer claiming the award more times with five to his name (1988 and 1993-96).

Haas played 20 games in 2022, churning out 163 running metres  (77 metres post contact) from 15 hit ups per game as well as 32 tackles at 97 per cent efficiency. He also racked up 58 tackle busts and 21 offloads across the season, which also saw him collect the Best Forward Award at tonight’s Presentation Dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Haas polled 61 votes from coaches and players across the season, to finish ahead of Corey Oates (56), Adam Reynolds (48), Pat Carrigan (47), Kotoni Staggs (33), Thomas Flegler (26) and Selwyn Cobbo (24).

For the Broncos NRLW team, emerging outside back Jaime Chapman was a much-deserved winner of the Player Of the Year award in her first year at the club. The 20-year-old was a standout playing centre and fullback notching four tries, 36 tackle busts and eight line breaks in five matches as well as running for a huge 148 metres per game.

Chapman’s speed, strength and ability to beat her player saw her repeatedly top the highlight reel and keep her side within reach of the opposition during the season – her stellar form also seeing her collect the sought-after Broncos NRLW Players’ Player Award for 2022.

Earlier, winger Corey Oates won the NRL Players’ Player Award after the best season of his decade-long career in which he scored 20 tries – the second-best in the NRL – as well as racking up a huge 169 running metres per game plus 79 tackle busts and 18 line breaks across the season.

Broncos Captain Adam Reynolds received the NRL Best Back Award in his first season at the club as well as being awarded the coveted Club Person Of The Year award, while fellow playmaker Tarryn Aiken won the NRLW Best Back trophy, in addition to  the NRLW Play Of The Year Award for her incredible try-saving tackle during the Round 2 clash with the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

The NRL Most Consistent Award was won by lock Pat Carrigan to add to his breakthrough Wally Lewis Medal for Player Of the Series in the Maroons’ Origin series victory, with Carrigan also receiving the Broncos Community Award for his widespread work helping others off the field.

NRL Rookie Of The Year went to Ezra Mam who had an outstanding start to his career after a surprise last-minute debut in the Round 11 win over the Knights in Newcastle. The 19-year-old five-eighth went on to make 13 appearances, scoring six tries, making seven try assists and nine line break assists, as well as running for 100 metres per game, and making six line breaks and 30 tackle breaks himself.

The NRLW Rookie Of The Year was backrower Jasmine Fogavini who made an instant impact with her aggressive running and defence after stepping up and debuting for the Broncos from the BMD Premiership in an effort that also was Fogavini win the NRLW Best Forward Award for 2022.

The other major award of the night – NRL Play Of The Year – went to backrower Kurt Capewell for memorable 40-metre field goal to seal the Round 1 win11-4   over the Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium.

NRL Award Winners

Cyril connell award - rookie of the year, kevin walters award - most consistent.

Pat CARRIGAN

Allan Langer Award - Best Back

Adam REYNOLDS

Shane Webcke Award - Best Forward

Wally lewis award - play of the year.

Kurt CAPEWELL – Round 1 Field goal v Rabbitohs

Community Service Award

Club person of the year, gary balkin award - players' player.

Corey OATES

Paul Morgan Medal - Player of the Year

Nrlw award winners, rookie of the year.

Jasmine FOGAVINI

Tarryn AIKEN

Best Forward

Play of the year.

Tarryn AIKEN – Round 2 Try-saving tackle v Roosters

Players' Player

Jaime CHAPMAN

Player of the Year

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Acknowledgement of Country

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  • 2023 Broncos Presentation Ball

NEWS   2023 Broncos Presentation Ball

  • Thread starter Allo
  • Start date Oct 5, 2023

Kaz

State of Origin Captain

  • Oct 6, 2023
BroncsFan said: View attachment 24645 Click to expand...

Fitzy

NRL Captain

Haas was Incredible all year long and did it in every single game. Not a single bad game all year. Sure Walshy goes out there with the pressure on him to win games and he won us a lot of games but at the end of the day what Payne does is simply incredible and I feel we have all just been de-sensitised to his dominance and greatness to realise what we have in front of us. Also under no circumstances whatsoever did I want Walsh to win it, he needs to stay humble and continue to work hard, if we stood out there and told him how fucken great he was he wouldn’t improve. Next year he has the motivation of winning the origin jersey, challenging for personal awards and winning the comp a lot of motivation for him to go to the next level again.  

International Rep

Best speech- Oates when he got his life membership.  

Swordfish

QCup Player

Sproj said: , is there somehow even another level in him? Click to expand...

Gallery of last night’s presentation https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2023/10/06/2023-paul-morgan-medal-presentation-ball/  

Santa

State of Origin Rep

  • Oct 13, 2023

www.foxsports.com.au

‘Phins up!’: Departing Broncos star’s hilarous parting jibe... and how Kevvie reacted

www.foxsports.com.au

International Captain

Santa said: Lol love kevvie. ‘Phins up!’: Departing Broncos star’s hilarous parting jibe... and how Kevvie reacted ‘Phins up!’: Departing Broncos star’s hilarous parting jibe... and how Kevvie reacted www.foxsports.com.au Click to expand...

Xzei

Bronx48 said: Gallery of last night’s presentation https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2023/10/06/2023-paul-morgan-medal-presentation-ball/ Click to expand...
Sproj said: From what I've seen, Herbie seems excited to go there but Tom seems to not be overly happy. It would be hard to leave after that grand final. There must be a feeling of unfinished business there for all three of those guys leaving. Click to expand...

Super Freak

Super Freak

  • Oct 14, 2023
Johnny92 said: I think Keenan will be back one day, would definitely still be here if he didn't sign for the titans in 22 and held off til the Flegler decision. Wonder if Herbie and Flegs decision would of been any different if they waited til mid season to sign. Click to expand...
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