David Fifita run sets up Jamayne Isaako golden point shot for crucial Broncos win

The Broncos are surging towards finals after teenage gun David Fifita’s bullocking run set up a Jamayne Isaako golden point to shatter the Eels at Suncorp Stadium. Read the full report here.

The Iceman has done it again.

Cool-headed Jamayne Isaako sealed an extra-time thriller with the golden boot that sank the Eels and propelled the Broncos onto the cusp of finals football with a pulsating 17-16 triumph at Suncorp Stadium.

Before 33,020 fans, the Broncos broke Parramatta’s hearts in a Suncorp heartstopper with Isaako showing nerves of steel to drive home an 81st minute field goal to keep Brisbane’s season alive.

The Broncos looked home at 16-6 only for the Eels to launch a brutal second-half fightback and when Kane Evans crashed over three minutes from time, Parramatta had momentum going into golden point at 16-all.

But Iceman Isaako stepped up as Brisbane’s hero, snapping the one-pointer that moves the Broncos to 25 competition points, all-but ensuring Anthony Seibold will deliver a finals campaign in his first season at Red Hill.

Now Brisbane can make it official if they beat the Bulldogs this Saturday night at ANZ Stadium.

While Isaako was the match-winner, hulking back-rower David Fifita was the game changer, producing a superb solo try in the 30th minute before making the rampaging extra-time charge which gave the Iceman the platform to freeze out the Eels.

Sean O’Sullivan jumps on Jamayne Isaako after the winning kick. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Isaako almost snatched victory 39 seconds from full-time with a 45-metre field-goal attempt that cannoned into the upright, but with his second shot in golden point, he nailed the coffin shut.

It was a willing and gusty display by the Broncos, who were the superior team and drew inspiration from their skipper Darius Boyd, who supported Isakko and Fifita with a captain’s knock that answered the critics.

Darius Boyd hunts the ball for an easy try at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Boyd’s wife launched a savage attack on his critics in the lead-up to the Eels clash and the besieged Broncos captain applied an exclamation mark with his best performance since moving to five-eighth two months ago.

Buffeted by incessant retirement talk, Boyd rose from the canvas, having a hand in Fifita’s first-half try, scoring in the second stanza himself and producing a flawless defensive display.

Based on last night’s performance, Brisbane deserve to play finals football.

The Broncos don’t possess the most rhythmic backline but what they lack in collective finesse they compensate with individual firepower.

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At just 19, Fifita is already flexing his muscle as the most destructive ball-running back-rower in the code. If the Broncos lose him to a rival club, there might be a riot at Red Hill. The 108kg wrecking ball consistently shifts the tempo of games and he did it yet again last night, crashing over from close range in the 30th minute to edge Brisbane clear at 8-6.

Fifita’s skipper, Boyd, has copped enough brickbats this season to give him concussion but his display at five-eighth was sizzling.

The second half was frantic and furious. The Broncos looked home when Boyd scored for a 16-6 lead in the 43rd minute, only for the sixth-placed Eels to launch a desperate fightback.

But the braveheart Broncos refused to wilt as Isaako rammed home the Power of One.

Originally published as David Fifita run sets up Jamayne Isaako golden point shot for crucial Broncos win