In an exciting encounter between the Dragons and Broncos, Ben Hunt found humour in a controversial call that left St George Illawarra fuming early in the game. The match took a disheartening turn for the Dragons as young back-rower Dylan Egan exited the field with a suspected ACL injury. While Egan lay on the ground, the Broncos continued their attack, and in an unfortunate twist of fate, he was inadvertently struck by the ball.
As Brisbane took advantage of the situation, they soon scored their first points. A missed tackle from Kyle Flanagan allowed Ezra Mam to break through, leading to a pass that Gehamat Shibasaki caught for a try. Despite being clearly forward, the try was awarded, which left both the commentators and spectators astounded. Fox League’s Andrew Voss voiced his disbelief, stating the pass was “forward from every angle,” while Greg Alexander noted it was nearly impossible for the player to deliver the pass backward.
As the action unfolded, cameras focused on Hunt, who was spotted smiling broadly on the bench, clearly bemused and remarking, “that is so forward,” indicating his disbelief over the decision.
Brisbane continued to build on their lead, with Mam scoring again shortly after. The Dragons finally got on the scoreboard when Tyrell Sloan managed to plant the ball despite a fierce contest with Jesse Arthars, following an initial scare that he may have dropped it in mid-air.
This match saw a mix of excitement and frustration for fans, particularly for the Dragons supporters, as they faced the ramifications of key injuries and contentious officiating early in the game.