The Brisbane Broncos have pulled off an incredible comeback against the Dragons, thanks to the heroics of Payne Haas and Reece Walsh. After trailing 16-8 at halftime, the Broncos surged in the second half with six tries, including a late burst from Walsh who scored two in the final minutes to clinch a 40-18 victory. The win sets up an exciting Brisbane derby against expansion rivals the Dolphins, led by former Broncos coach Wayne Bennett. Both teams are unbeaten and flying high at the top of the league, making for a mouth-watering Battle of Brisbane next Friday night.
Important Details about NRL 2023: Brisbane Broncos win 40-18 over Dragons after Payne Haas, Reece Walsh inspire tryscoring blitz –
– Brisbane Broncos completed a comeback to defeat the Dragons 40-18
– Payne Haas and Reece Walsh were the superstars who helped with the late surge
– The win sets up a Brisbane derby against expansion rivals the Dolphins
– The Broncos were listless in the first half but responded to a halftime rocket from coach Kevin Walters
– Adam Reynolds scored a sensational two-point field goal to narrow the Dragons lead before halftime
– Cory Paix was the super sub who ignited the Broncos’ second-half resurgence
– Reece Walsh was dynamic in the second half and landed the killer punches with two tries
– The Broncos and Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins head to Suncorp unbeaten in a historic Battle of Brisbane
The Broncos have completed an incredible comeback, with superstars Payne Haas and Reece Walsh producing a late surge to set up a mouthwatering Brisbane derby against the Dolphins. After a sluggish first half, the Broncos rallied together to defeat the Dragons 40-18 and secure their third consecutive win.
Adam Reynolds and Reece Walsh were the driving forces behind the Broncos’ victory, delivering a superb one-two punch to inspire Brisbane’s patchy defeat of the Dragons. With scores locked at 18-all, the Broncos went on a scoring rampage, with Walsh releasing Selwyn Cobbo in the 71st minute before posting a double himself in the 74th and 79th minutes to sink the Red V.
While the final score may suggest a comfortable victory for the Broncos, it was anything but. The team completed at 72% in the opening half, lacking energy in defence and allowing the Dragons to dominate the middle-third. Trailing 16-8 at halftime, the Broncos responded to a halftime rocket from coach Kevin Walters, scoring six second-half tries as Payne Haas and Tom Flegler took control of the midfield.
Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds also had a pivotal moment in the game, with a moment of instinctive brilliance just before the halftime siren. With nothing happening seconds before, Reynolds took possession 45 metres out, looked up for a split second, and blasted a sensational two-point field goal to narrow the Dragons’ lead to 16-8, breathing life into a Broncos side that exploded into action after the break.
Cory Paix also stepped up as the Broncos’ super sub, igniting their second-half resurgence with a clever dummy-half snipe from one metre out in the 44th minute, which whittled Brisbane’s deficit to 16-14. Staggs then won the race to a Reynolds grubber four minutes later, giving the Broncos the lead for the first time.
Reece Walsh was dynamite against the Cowboys last week, and he waged a thrilling backfield battle with Dragons dynamo Tyrell Sloan. While Sloan was slick and quick, charging onto a sublime Jaydn Su’A 28th-minute offload to give the Dragons a 10-6 lead, Walsh searched for a headline moment as Red V defenders watched his every move.
Brisbane’s star recruit fumbled in the 14th minute and two minutes later, a clearing kick on the last tackle went sailing off the side of his left boot. However, Walsh came alive in the second half and landed the killer punches, turning Cobbo inside to break an 18-all deadlock before his one-two scoring punch put the Dragons on the canvas.
The stage is now set for a mouth-watering Battle of Brisbane, with the Broncos and Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins heading to Suncorp next Friday night both unbeaten and flying high at the top of the league. The Broncos have completed an incredible comeback, and with the likes of Payne Haas and Reece Walsh in fine form, they will be a formidable opponent for the Dolphins.
Overall, it was an impressive performance from the Broncos, who showed resilience and determination in overcoming a sluggish start to secure a dominant victory against the Dragons. The Brisbane derby against the Dolphins promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams putting their unbeaten start to the season on the line.