On Sunday, Dragons coach Nathan Cross faced a series of challenges during the match, including an eight-point try, a player in the sin bin, and another sidelined due to concussion.
As the second half commenced with a tied score of 6-6, the Brisbane Broncos executed a slick play that enabled Kerri Johnson to score in the corner. Unfortunately, her try came at a cost; she was injured after colliding with Teagan Berry’s knee while diving for the ball, leading to her being curled up on the pitch. A review was conducted to determine the nature of the incident, with senior review official Todd Smith deeming Berry’s knee contact as a dangerous non-tackle, which set the stage for a potential eight-point try.
Despite initial concerns, Johnson managed to recover quickly and returned to the game. In the meantime, Berry was sent to the sin bin for her actions.
The situation worsened for the Dragons when Brianna Clark scored, followed by Shenai Lendill receiving a penalty for a hair pull on a breakaway Julia Robinson. Tamika Upton further extended the Broncos’ lead with a try in the 52nd minute. However, the Dragons’ troubles continued when their five-eighth, Kasey Reh, was injured following a tackle by Romy Teitzel. Although she was cleared to continue initially, independent doctors later ruled her out for the remainder of the match, a decision that Ruan Sims supported as prudent.
Ultimately, Chelsea Lenarduzzi capped off the Broncos’ dominant performance with a try in the 59th minute, sealing a comprehensive 30-6 victory.