NRL 2022: Adam Reynolds struggles as Cowboys win 40-26 win over Broncos
Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds struggled in his return from injury, admitting he ‘wasn’t good enough’ as the Cowboys claimed bragging rights in the Queensland derby.
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The Cowboys are officially kings of Queensland after taking a hammer to Broncos captain Adam Reynolds and Brisbane’s NRL premiership credentials in a 40-26 demolition derby.
At a sold-out Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday night, the Cowboys showed why they are a genuine title threat in their second thrashing of the Broncos this year.
The Cowboys proved their stunning 38-12 win at Suncorp Stadium in round 3 was no fluke, producing a clinical dismantling of a gallant Brisbane in front of 23,531 raucous fans in Townsville.
For 60 minutes this was a high-octane derby reminiscent of the rivalry’s glory days in the last decade when a thrilling contest was nearly guaranteed. Then the Cowboys raced away.
The Broncos defended stoically to only trail 10-8 at the break after the Cowboys enjoyed 26 tackles in attacking territory compared to Brisbane’s zero at the other end of the field.
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But after seven straight wins, the Broncos’ bubble has burst, with losses to top four teams the Storm and Cowboys in the past two rounds exposing Brisbane as premiership pretenders that are not yet in touch with the league leaders.
“They were very good for 80 minutes and our first 40 wasn’t that great, we did a lot of tackling which made it hard for us,” Broncos coach Kevin Walters said.
“We let in a couple of soft tries in the second half. You can’t concede those softer tries.
“We need to make sure we get it right when we play them next. There’s a lot of improvement in us. They outplayed us, that’s for sure. There’s plenty for us to work on.”
RUSTY REYNO A WORRY
Reynolds made a brave return from a rib injury but it’s clear he is far from 100 per cent and won’t be for some time.
Reynolds’ usually pinpoint kicking game was well below par as he was targeted by Cowboys defenders – something he needs to get used to – and forced multiple seven-tackle turnovers.
The gutsy No.7 was reluctant to take the ball to the line and threw an uncharacteristic intercept for Murray Taulagi to score North Queensland’s first try.
Reynolds is supremely important to the Broncos but his errors put Brisbane under immense defensive pressure which proved hard to overcome after fullback Te Maire Martin (ribs) left the field in the first half.
If not for two late tries, the Broncos would have been soundly beaten.
“I just got it wrong, it wasn’t good enough and embarrassing by my standards,” Reynolds said, denying his ribs were a problem. “I’ll go back to training and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
COWBOYS CRUISING TO SEPTEMBER
The Cowboys are not getting the credit they deserve – but that should change now.
North Queensland is well on the way to a top-four finish this season and could even leapfrog Melbourne to finish second behind minor premiers-in-waiting Penrith.
The Cowboys patiently built pressure on the Broncos before striking with five second half tries to win their 10th game from their past 11 starts.
Jason Taumalolo led the way with 149m and Tigers recruit Luciano Leilua made an encouraging club debut. It might be the dead of winter but things are heating up in Townsville.
“I’m really happy we beat the Broncos at home,” Cowboys coach Todd Payten said.
“We started the first half with a fair bit of possession but played with a lack of control. They attacked that second half really well.
“We’ve got some good players across the group. Our squad is strong and it takes a strong squad to compete for the title, that’s where we are at the moment.”
WING AND A PRAYER
Cowboys veteran Kyle Feldt threw his hat into the ring for a spot in Queensland’s Origin decider team following a terrific battle of the wingers.
With Maroons duo Selwyn Cobbo and Taulagi under pressure to retain their jerseys, Feldt showed why he should be in the mix along with Broncos veteran Corey Oates.
After missing North Queensland’s past four games with a knee injury, Feldt returned in emphatic fashion with a try and 134m.
Oates overcame an early error to score his 111th and 112th tries and throw his hand up for Taulagi’s spot on the left wing – however the Cowboys ace bagged a double of his own.
While he had a poor Origin II in Perth, Cobbo’s freakish plays late in the game at fullback showed why he is the future for Queensland.
Maroons coach Billy Slater has a big call to make.
What Payten saw in Dearden that Broncos didn’t
-Peter Badel
North Queensland coach Todd Payten has revealed how he fought for the signature of Tom Dearden amid fears the former Broncos playmaker would be a high-risk purchase for the Cowboys.
Dearden goes into Saturday night’s Broncos-Cowboys derby in Townsville within tantalising sight of a stunning Queensland debut if injured Maroons pivot Cameron Munster fails to recover in time for Origin III.
The 21-year-old has been Queensland’s 18th man for the opening two Origin games and the fact he is even in the frame for the Suncorp decider on July 13 is remarkable given his career was at the crossroads 12 months ago.
Struggling for confidence and seemingly a broken man at the Broncos, Dearden felt he was in desperate need of change.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters was not convinced he was the halfback to break the club’s 16-year premiership drought — and the concerns over Dearden’s NRL prospects extended to heavy-hitters at the Cowboys.
On the eve of the Queensland derby, News Corp can reveal a Cowboys boardroom faction were not sure if Dearden was the ideal choice to replace Jake Clifford, who had been offloaded to Newcastle.
Payten was adamant Dearden could fire. Such was his conviction, the Cowboys coach submitted a compelling argument to North Queensland’s board as to why the struggling Bronco could revive his career in the tropics.
The Cowboys board ultimately backed Payten’s assessment and authorised his purchase.
The Cowboys coach has been vindicated, with Dearden playing a starring role in North Queensland’s remarkable surge into the top four which, in turn, has transformed the Mackay product from Broncos reject to Origin contender.
“I was a huge fan of Tom and I felt he could make it in the NRL,” Payten said.
“I just felt with the right backing and a bit more polish, he could be a really good first grader and he is now part of the Queensland Origin squad which is a great sign of how far he has come.
“I also trusted our recruitment team. Dane Campbell (Cowboys recruitment chief) and Micheal Luck (head of football) were both fans of Tom and we were able to get the deal done.”
Dearden came back to haunt the Broncos in their most recent meeting in round 3. Returning to Suncorp Stadium, the Cowboys pivot exorcised his Broncos demons, scoring a try and setting up three others to spearhead North Queensland’s 38-12 rout.
Now the Broncos travel to Townsville to face a man rejuvenated in body, mind and spirit _ and steeled by his Origin indoctrination being mentored by senior Maroons halves Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans.
“I was pumped for Tom to make the Queensland team,” Payten said.
“I had a few conversations with Billy (Slater, Queensland coach) heading into Origin I and Billy spoke highly of Tom and it gave me the feeling he would be involved in this series.
“He deserves to be there and it’s a great reward for the adversity he encountered at various stages in his career.
“Coming here, Tom was down on confidence, so the key was putting our arm around him and backing him.
“We’ve also tried to put some experience around him and a guy like Chad Townsend has helped take the pressure off Tom and allowed him to play to his strengths.”
The seeds for Dearden’s recruitment were sown three years ago, when the rising playmaker turned out for the Broncos against the Warriors in New Zealand on May 25, 2019.
Then just 18, Dearden was playing his fourth NRL game. Payten was an assistant coach at the Warriors. Dearden caught Payten’s eye in the Mt Smart Stadium coaching box as he teamed with Anthony Milford to engineer an 8-2 defeat of the Warriors.
Then came Dearden’s period of playmaking hell. Incredibly, he won just one of his next 28 NRL matches, but Payten held his nerve.
“I didn’t know much about Tom personally, I hadn’t dealt with him,” Payten said.
“But when I was at the Warriors, I thought he was pretty strong in a game earlier in his career playing for the Broncos. He did well for an 18-year-old kid playing at Mt Smart Stadium, I thought he was quite brave that day, so I’ve always kept an eye on him.
“I love Tom’s competitiveness. He is always around the ball. Whether we make a break or the opposition makes a break, Tom puts himself in the game and you can’t really coach that. The way he competes is the reason he will succeed.
“I like his attitude to training and being an NRL player. It means something to him. He is always looking to improve his game. He is always seeking us coaches out for information and feedback. He doesn’t take his spot in the NRL for granted and that’s why he has bounced back so quickly.
“We have worked hard here to improve our young guys and Tom is one of those players. He deserves everything he gets.”
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