NRL Round 23 2024: Kotoni Staggs runs riot as Brisbane Broncos win 42-18 over Cowboys

Where has this been all year? The Broncos have dealt the Cowboys’ top four hopes a massive blow, snapping a two-game losing streak with a dominant win in the Queensland derby.

NRL Round 23 2024: North Queensland Cowboys vs Brisbane Broncos. Picture: NRL Imagery

Kotoni Staggs has inspired the Broncos to a season-saving 42-18 win against the Cowboys in a high-stakes Queensland derby on Saturday night.

The Broncos’ faint finals hopes remain alive after Brisbane recorded a gutsy come-from-behind victory at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Staring down the barrel of a ninth loss from their past 10 games, Brisbane’s season looked over when the Cowboys bolted to an 18-6 lead midway through the first half.

But with Staggs on a mission, the Broncos got back into the contest and scored 36 unanswered points to record arguably their best win of the year.

The Broncos will enjoy a much-needed bye next weekend before finishing their season with three straight must-win games at Suncorp Stadium against the Eels, Dolphins and Storm.

There is a glimmer of hope for Brisbane to avenge last year’s grand final defeat if the rugby league gods follow the script for the Broncos.

NRL Round 23 2024: North Queensland Cowboys vs Brisbane Broncos. Picture: NRL Imagery

STAGGS PARTY

Staggs has been a shining light for the Broncos throughout the mid-season crash.

The bustling centre has done his best to inspire his team every week and produced a number of big plays to sink the Cowboys.

Staggs lined up Cowboys rival Valentine Holmes off a scrum and burnt him to give Brisbane a 24-18 lead after 65 minutes.

He then burst through North Queensland’s line three minutes later which allowed Jordan Riki to give Brisbane a match-winning lead when he pounced on a Reece Walsh kick.

Staggs iced the cake with five minutes to go and finished with two tries, five line breaks, 141m and 11 tackle busts in one of the finest efforts of his career.

BRAVEHEART BRONCOS

It’s been clear for three months that the Broncos are nowhere near their best but there was enough spirit in this performance to prove there is life at Red Hill.

While Corey Jensen snapped a 112-game try-scoring drought in the fifth minute, the Broncos found themselves trailing 18-6 soon after and could have let the floodgates open.

Instead they scrapped away and got back into the contest, some desperate defence preventing Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater from scoring a certain try early in the second half.

The tackle on Drinkwater was a game-changer as the Broncos went on to score five straight tries to run away with a big win.

Reece Walsh failed to finish the game, after battling with a wrist injury. Picture: Getty Images

BRONCOS NEED POLISH

Brisbane’s lack of attention to detail on the training paddock is transferring to the playing field and there is still work to be done.

The Broncos tried hard and created opportunities but their execution was once again lacking, causing eight errors in the first half alone.

Fill-in five-eighth Josh Rogers dropped the ball clean then gave away a high tackle penalty. Staggs burst into space but Riki couldn’t finish a standard draw-and-pass. Adam Reynolds threw a poor pass to Riki under pressure.

They are simple mistakes that come back to bite you in the cut-throat NRL and until the Broncos get the finer things right, the talent in this team won’t be able to sing.

It showed in the second half when the Broncos improved their execution they raced away for a dominant win.

They’ll take the two points but need to improve across 80 minutes in the last three rounds.

WOUNDED WALSH

Walsh started the game with a heavily strapped right hand and was clearly troubled after being jammed by Holmes and picking up a fresh finger problem.

Despite appearing to be in considerable pain, Walsh soldiered on bravely and was electric with 166m, six tackle busts, four line break assists and two try-assists.

The enigmatic fullback didn’t overplay his hand and tried his heart out before leaving the field exhausted with five minutes to go.

He redeemed himself following last week’s blow-up with Corey Oates.

Originally published as NRL Round 23 2024: Kotoni Staggs runs riot as Brisbane Broncos win 42-18 over Cowboys