The Brisbane Broncos made an impressive comeback following a surprising defeat to Parramatta, decisively defeating Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs 60-14. Former rugby league legend Andrew Johns expressed his admiration for the Broncos’ attacking prowess during the broadcast on Nine, stating, “How good’s it watching that?”
Before the match even began, South Sydney faced a setback when they were unable to field an 18th man. Peter Mamouzelos, who was initially named in the squad, was ruled out due to delayed concussion, and Jamie Humphreys also withdrew for the same reason.
The game started sluggishly for both teams, but the Broncos sparked to life when Reece Walsh assisted Ezra Mam in scoring the first try. Jack Gosiewski responded for the Rabbitohs, but Kotoni Staggs soon extended Brisbane’s lead, and Tallis Duncan scored just before halftime, leaving the score at 18-8.
The anticipated half-time rally from Bennett failed to materialise, as the Broncos came out firing in the second half. Selwyn Cobbo, making his return to first-grade football, scored shortly after the break, followed by further tries from Ben Talty, Staggs, Mam, and Walsh. Deine Mariner shone, scoring twice in the second period, while Lachlan Hubner managed to score the only try for South Sydney.
In his 200th match for the Broncos, Ben Hunt was thrilled with the team’s performance and remarked on the significance of celebrating such a milestone in front of their home crowd. Moreover, Adam Reynolds, in a fitting tribute against his former club, surpassed 2,500 career points, closing in on Cameron Smith’s record of 2,786 points.
Coach Michael Maguire commended the performance of his wingers following the match. He described having multiple players vying for the starting positions as a “good headache” and mentioned his discussions with the wingers about ensuring they all get opportunities on the field.
Looking ahead, the Broncos will face a challenging match against Melbourne on Thursday, while the Rabbitohs are set to play the Titans on Sunday. The Broncos’ dominant performance reinforces their position as strong contenders, while South Sydney will be eager to regroup and respond to their heavy loss.