Broncos win 42-18 over Bulldogs in Brisbane bloodbath

The Broncos have blown away the premiership heavyweight Bulldogs to put an end to their seven-game win streak. But it may have come at a cost, with Adam Reynolds going down.

Champion skipper Adam Reynolds is racing the clock to be fit for Magic Round after injuring his shoulder in Brisbane’s 42-18 belting of the Bulldogs on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium.

Reynolds produced one of the greatest games of his career but his masterclass was soured by the halfback leaving the field in the 75th minute of Canterbury’s capitulation in a brilliant Broncos Anzac ambush.

In driving rain before 40,233, Reynolds snapped Canterbury’s perfect 6-0 start but the Broncos face a nervous wait with the classy No.7 set to undergo scans.

The Dogs came into the clash as the best defensive side in the league but Cameron Ciraldo was left to lament a horror show that exposed serious chinks in Canterbury’s premiership armour.

Stung by two straight losses, the Broncos did a Canterbury on Canterbury. They bashed the Dogs into error. It was a midfield mauling built on intent. Lacking energy, the Dogs were sloppy early and Brisbane ran riot, posting six tries in a 32-minute blitz to charge to a 34-0 half-time lead.

Canterbury saved face with three second-half tries but Reynolds oozed control with a try and three try assists, while Broncos enforcer Payne Haas (219m) dominated to keep Brisbane (5-3) in touch with the top four.“We started well,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said. “Our forwards laid a good platform and ‘Ren’s’ kicking game was excellent.”

ADAM BOMB

Reynolds was playing his 295th NRL game but few have been as clinically commanding as this five-star stitch up.

The 34-year-old taught younger Bulldogs rival Toby Sexton a halfback lesson, but was forced to play through the pain barrier after injuring his shoulder scoring in the ninth minute.

Despite his struggles, Reynolds unleashed two sublime cross-kicks for Deine Mariner to celebrate a double inside 28 minutes as Canterbury’s defence capitulated.

Asked if he will play against Penrith on Sunday week, Reynolds said: “The aim is to play every game.

“It’s a little sore, it went dead on me with pins and needles when I scored the try.

“I will have a look at it and go from there.”

Broncos v Bulldogs. Picture: NRL Imagery

SLEEPING DOGS

Canterbury came into round 8 as the NRL’s defensive top dogs. They were touted as the real deal. By half-time, their premiership aspirations were as sodden as the Suncorp turf.

Maybe it was just a shocking night at the office, but the Bulldogs looked a shadow of the team that suffocated teams with their defensive intent in the opening seven rounds.

Canterbury had 24 missed tackles in the opening 30 minutes and two players - Josh Curran (11th) and Sitili Tupouniua (34th) - were sin-binned for first-half high shots as they self-destructed without the ball.

Broncos v Bulldogs. Picture: NRL Imagery

“We were humbled in that first half, we have had a lot of praise, the first half wasn’t good enough,” coach Ciraldo said.

“I’m really proud of the second half, but I was filthy with the first half.

“It was a comedy of errors. It was hard to watch to be honest.”

SUPER SELWYN

No Walsh. No worries.

Missing injured superstar Reece Walsh, the Broncos didn’t skip a beat. Selwyn Cobbo says fullback is his preferred position. The Queensland Origin star duly grabbed the Broncos No.1 jumper and sliced and diced the Dogs.

Cobbo (122m and three tackle busts) put centre Gehamat Shibasaki over in the 17th minute with a sublime catch-and-pass and his bullocking 105kg frame was crucial on bruising kick returns in the wet.

The scary thing for Brisbane is he remains off-contract. On this evidence, Cobbo could easily attract rival offers nudging $1 million as a first-choice fullback.

X FACTOR

Willison operates primarily as a prop but Maguire should consider deploying him as a fully-fledged back-rower.

The 199cm brute was dynamic on Brisbane’s left edge. It wasn’t just his superb unders line to open the scoring in the second minute. It was his athletic movement and powerful running that terrorised Canterbury’s defence.

The 22-year-old finished with 148 metres and nine tackle busts and suddenly offers another dimension to Brisbane’s forward pack.

Originally published as Broncos win 42-18 over Bulldogs in Brisbane bloodbath