Brisbane Broncos defeat Gold Coast Titans 44-14: Reece Walsh returns with a bang as Madge’s men click into gear
Returning superstar Reece Walsh scored two tries and played a major role in helping snap Brisbane’s losing streak, with the Broncos running over the Titans to ease the pressure valve on coach Michael Maguire.
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Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds labelled Reece Walsh the “X-factor” who can ignite Brisbane’s mid-season fightback after the superstar fullback torched the Titans on Saturday night.
Walsh sizzled in his return from a knee injury, setting up a try and posting a double to engineer a 44-14 drubbing that snapped Brisbane’s four-match losing streak and kept them in touch with the top eight.
The Broncos now enjoy a bye weekend and with home games to come against the Sharks and the Warriors, the upside of Walsh’s absence from the Origin arena is that Brisbane will benefit from his class.
There were question marks as to whether Selwyn Cobbo was a better fullback option but this is evidence Walsh is the No.1 to spearhead Brisbane’s finals recovery mission.
“We all know he is an X-factor, it makes the team a lot better,” said Reynolds, who celebrated his 300th NRL game.
“I’m more pleased with the performance.
“I’m glad the week is over, it’s been a big week, everything that comes with it, I’m honoured.
“I have always been about the team, it’s something I will reflect on after a few beers.”
Broncos coach Michael Maguire lauded the instant impact of Walsh, playing his first game in six weeks after injuring his knee against the Warriors.
Maguire said the layoff gave Walsh time to forensically analyse his game in video sessions with Reynolds.
“Any time there was a half break, Ezra (Mam) and Reece were there,” Maguire said.
“One thing with Reece, he has looked at his game during his time out.
“Reece is hungry to improve and Reyno and Reece have been talking about their footy together.”
While the Titans are far from title contenders, the win eases the pressure valve on a Broncos group that Maguire genuinely believes can be a premiership force.
“I have seen that in the group, they are well connected,” he said.
“I could feel it and sense it.
“Not everything goes your way and to see the leaders come together has been great.
“We have been challenged to find something and now we can move forward.”
The 30-point flogging will intensify pressure on Titans coach Des Hasler, who can be sacked by Gold Coast management if he fails to steer the club to the playoffs.
Hasler, who was given a warning by the NRL during the week for attacking match officials, instead turned the blowtorch on his troops.
“We didn’t aim up enough,” he said.
“The first 40 was the most disappointing we have played this year.
“If you look gassed, if you don’t frontload ... we missed the start and we chased and chased.
“We were pretty disappointed, we missed the jump. We should have focused our energy better.
“They scored in the first set and that early try rocked us a bit.”
Asked if he is the coach to turn the Titans around, Hasler said: “It’s not about turning it around, it’s about turning up.
“That’s not good enough and they know it.
“There’s no excuse for it.”
MATCH REPORT
The Broncos should wear black every week.
Returning two-try superstar Reece Walsh superbly snapped Brisbane’s form crisis as the Broncos saluted Adam Reynolds’ 300th game with a 44-14 derby demolition of the terrible Titans on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.
For the first time in their 37-year history, Brisbane wore black jerseys as a tribute to mental health and they resembled the Broncos All Blacks as 39,884 watched a Titanic eight-try carve-up of the Coast.
Under siege after six losses from seven starts, the Broncos (6-7) eased the pressure valve on coach Michael Maguire with one of their most emphatic performances of the season.
Brisbane, back in black, hit the switch from the opening seconds.
They were slick and energised, ripping the Titans apart with the speed of Walsh, the thrust of Pat Carrigan and the power of centre duo Kotoni Staggs and two-try Gehamat Shibasaki to end a four-match losing streak.
‘Reece Lightning’ successfully returned from a knee injury, putting Shibasaki over in the first 90 seconds to set-up a 28-0 half-time lead before crossing twice himself in the final six minutes to bury the Titans.
"That's Reece Walsh magic!" 💫
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UP AND ADAM
Reynolds, 34, has had a magnificent career and the triple centurion looks a better halfback in his twilight years with the electric Ezra Mam beside him.
The Reynolds-Mam alliance orchestrated Brisbane’s charge to the 2023 grand final and the duo were back in business on Saturday night to suggest they can engineer another late-season surge to the top four.
Reynolds deserved this 300-game celebration. The skipper produced a fine cross kick for Staggs’ 18th-minute try, while Brisbane’s offence has a more formidable look when Mam is dancing and creating.
SWEET THIRTEEN
It’s no surprise Brisbane’s brutal Titans blitz coincided with Carrigan’s return to his cherished No.13 jumper.
They say it’s just a number but there was more than a cosmetic effect in Kobe Hetherington dropping to the bench and Carrigan shifting from prop to lock as the Queensland Origin ironman tormented the Titans in midfield.
The front-row experiment over, Carrigan slipped straight into the groove in the loose forward position where he won the Paul Morgan Medal last season and Brisbane’s offence is better for it.
Brisbane’s reigning best-and-fairest charged for 127m and the early exclamation mark was his sublime dummy and flick pass for Corey Jensen’s try for a 12-0 lead inside 11 minutes.
BACKLINE BLITZ
Staggs, Shibasaki and shock wing inclusion Josiah Karapani ran riot as they tore the Coast to shreds on both sides of the field.
Staggs was in the mood early, soaring high to score from a Reynolds cross kick before continuing his rampage with 165m and nine tackle busts in a superb centre’s performance.
If Staggs was brutal on the right, Shibasaki and Karapani were brilliant on the left. Shibasaki (148m) had a double inside 21 minutes and Karapani vindicated Maguire’s decision to drop Selwyn Cobbo with two tries and 125m of power running.
TITANIC FLOPS
On match eve, delusional Gold Coast bosses labelled coach Des Hasler a “winner” who was safe and would be coaching the Titans in 2026.
The comment sums up the basketcase that is the Titans. It’s a nonsensical sentiment, because the last-placed Titans are a rabble. Hasler was supposed to inject a hard edge but instead they have the worst defence in the NRL and are staring at the club’s third wooden spoon.
This Titans squad is mentally soft. They should be embarrassed with their lack of defensive heart. They crack at the first sign of pressure and if Hasler doesn’t stop the rot, Titans hierarchy should wake up to reality, show some gumption and pull the trigger.
Originally published as Brisbane Broncos defeat Gold Coast Titans 44-14: Reece Walsh returns with a bang as Madge’s men click into gear
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