Broncos humiliated as Roosters run riot in 59-0 victory at Suncorp Stadium
In the space of seven days, Brisbane have conceded 93 points and leaked 16 tries. How can the NRL’s richest club can serve up such a pathetic standard?
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This wasn’t an NRL contest. This was men belting boys.
Injury-ravaged Brisbane slumped to the worst loss in their 32-year history as the red-hot Roosters spanked the Baby Broncos in a stunning 59-0 massacre at Suncorp Stadium.
The 10-try carve-up also represented Brisbane’s worst-ever loss at Suncorp Stadium, leaving the battered Broncos in tatters ahead of Thursday night’s road trip to face Manly on the NSW Central Coast.
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Order a full-scale inquiry after this disaster
This serving of ineptitude eclipsed the Broncos’ 58-0 finals horror show against the Eels last September, which triggered an internal player review by coach Anthony Seibold.
The Broncos went into the clash without injured Alex Glenn, Jack Bird and David Fifita and suspended Tevita Pangai Jr and Kotoni Staggs but not even Allan Langer would have saved them from the type of defeat that spotlights a club’s culture.
The Broncos board should be asking questions of this debacle and how the NRL’s richest club can serve up such a pathetic standard of football.
Injuries alone can be no excuse for a second consecutive implosion after last week’s 34-6 loss to the Eels.
In the space of seven days, the Broncos have conceded 93 points, leaked 16 tries and missed 54 tackles.
There was no heart. No energy. No commitment. No cohesion. No line speed. No apparent spirit and simply no constructive ideas as the Broncos capitulated against the back-to-back premiers, who hummed along like a Rolls Royce.
The Roosters were slick. Brisbane were shambolic.
The scary thing is that Roosters sensation James Tedesco (illness) was a late scratching. If the NRL’s No.1 player appeared, the Roosters would have won by 70.
Even allowing for Brisbane’s injury toll, this performance was unacceptable for a glamour club like the Broncos. Club founder Paul ‘Porky’ Morgan would be turning in his grave.
The Broncos were so lifeless in the first half their troops should have had temperature checks at half-time.
Some of the Roosters’ five first-half tries were so soft it looked like the premiers were cantering through a training run. The most emphatic evidence came in the 10th minute, when Broncos veteran Darius Boyd was horribly caught out rushing up in defence, allowing Joseph Manu to score in the corner untouched.
In the 59th minute, Roosters prop Lindsay Collins strolled over like he was walking down Queen St Mall.
Regardless of the opposition, the Broncos will not compete for the top eight if they continue to disrespect possession. Their first-half completion rate was 47 per cent.
While he has a depleted squad, coach Seibold has to somehow raise the spirit of his troops to keep their finals ambitions on track.
Darius Boyd’s defence at left centre was woeful and halfback Brodie Croft could be dropped in favour of Tom Dearden. But the real problem is Brisbane’s inexperienced pack … and a side which is simply too young to compete with the big boys.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS 59 (A Crichton 2 L Collins K Flanagan L Keary J Manu B Morris J Morris V Radley D Tupou tries K Flanagan 9 goals L Keary field goal) bt BRISBANE 0 at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Grant Atkins.
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