Brisbane Broncos’ spine succumbs to big-game pressure, huge injury toll

BROKEN. Battered. Bashed. Darius Boyd’s courageous captain’s knock couldn’t rescue the Broncos as Brisbane’s spluttering spine fractured on the big stage.

Darius Boyd was forced to leave the field in the second half.

DARIUS Boyd’s courageous captain’s knock was not enough to rescue the Broncos as Brisbane’s spluttering spine fractured on the big stage.

Boyd bravely battled through a hamstring injury that was clearly far from perfect but could do little to stop Melbourne ending Brisbane’s season with a preliminary final shut-out.

The usually clinical Storm were not at their brilliant best but exploded in the late stages at AAMI Park to record a 30-0 win and qualify for next Sunday’s NRL grand final where they will meet either the Roosters or Cowboys.

Darius Boyd was forced to leave the field in the second half.

In the end, Brisbane’s injury struggles proved too much to overcome at the money end of the season.

Boyd, absent from Brisbane’s first two finals, was restricted by his troublesome hamstring from the opening whistle yet pushed out 54 minutes before finally succumbing.

The first-year skipper was near ineffective in attack without his deceptive speed but marshalled his troops and inspired them with crunching defence.

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The constant changing of Brisbane’s spine throughout the season – they didn’t go more than three weeks with the same four playmakers – because of injury ultimately cruelled the Broncos’ campaign.

Momentum, continuity and having your best players on the field is what is needed at the back end of the season and the Broncos couldn’t manage that.

The Broncos initially compensated for the loss of underrated hooker Andrew McCullough to a season-ending knee injury in round 21 but his absence was always going to be telling.

McCullough’s sidelining pushed Ben Hunt to hooker and promoted Kodi Nikorima from a bench dummy-half to starting halfback.

Brisbane was gallant to finish third in the regular season given their injuries and Boyd’s struggles were symptomatic of a Broncos spine that couldn’t deliver in clutch moments.

Kodi Nikorima was forced to fullback to cover Boyd.

In the first half Brisbane had 25 tackles inside Melbourne’s attacking zone yet couldn’t crack the Storm’s desperate defence. They had 35 for the game without scoring a point.

Five-eighth Anthony Milford has work to do to live up to his $1 million-a-season price tag next year.

Milford needed to do more in his 118th NRL game, especially with Boyd battling and Nikorima still in the infancy of his halfback career.

Originally published as Brisbane Broncos’ spine succumbs to big-game pressure, huge injury toll