NRL 2020: Parramatta Eels def Brisbane Broncos 34-6 in one-sided demolition job
Parramatta have inflicted a crushing defeat on Brisbane as rugby league returned to screens in a big way on Thursday night. But Broncos coach Anthony Seibold wouldn't be thrilled with what he saw in an ugly loss.
The Broncos came crashing back to earth on Thursday night as rampant Parramatta inflicted more misery on their finals whipping boys with a 34-6 belting at Suncorp Stadium.
The NRL's Project Apollo plan was relaunched in style and the electric Eels were out of this world as Parramatta's monster pack consigned the unbeaten Broncos to their first defeat of the 2020 season.
To compound the hosts' plight, Broncos skipper Alex Glenn did not return for the second stanza after being taken to hospital at half-time with a nasty cut to his knee.
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No Brisbane fan will forget last year's 58-0 finals debacle against the Eels and while this performance was nowhere near as insipid, the youthful Broncos were taught another lesson by red-hot Parramatta.
It's been two months since both sides played football due to the coronavirus pandemic but powerful Parramatta slipped straight into fifth gear to record their third consecutive win of the season.
The tale to emerge from this Suncorp stitch-up was compelling.
Parramatta are the real deal and have the power and panache to break a 34-year premiership drought. The Broncos are young and willing but need to improve their discipline, tryline defence and intelligence as a unit to be a top-four contender.
This was always going to be a battle decided in the forwards and the Broncos had no answer to Parramatta's midfield muscle as Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Junior Paulo and Shaun Lane ran riot.
The Broncos did well to hold Parramatta to a 12-6 lead at half-time, but the second half was a cakewalk, the Eels blitzing Brisbane with four tries in a 22-point slapdown.
Broncos prop Payne Haas was a virtual one-man band, running for a whopping 164 metres. No other Brisbane forward managed 100 metres.
Given the COVID-19 cobwebs, this was a quality contest.
The decision for the code to return to one referee and introduce the six-again rule for ruck infringements are controversial moves and official Gerard Sutton had hardly raised a sweat when he was in the thick of the action.
Critics of the six-again rule are narks who would boo Santa Claus. It is a brilliant innovation with just two penalties in the first half ensuring fast, flowing football which will test player fitness and bring a gladiatorial edge at the back end of games.
Broncos halfback Brodie Croft impressed in his debut for the club in March and he scored the greatest solo try of his career on Thursday night.
The Brisbane No.7 dummied his way through in the 18th minute and showed superb pace to burn Clint Gutherson and touch down for 6-all.
But after a promising first quarter, the Broncos' discipline and handling slipped, giving the Eels the territorial platform to dictate terms.
The Broncos never gave themselves a chance in the second half. Their completion rate was woeful and it opened the door for the Eels, who posted four unanswered tries to put the Broncos to bed.
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Originally published as NRL 2020: Parramatta Eels def Brisbane Broncos 34-6 in one-sided demolition job