Brisbane Broncos secure much-needed victory despite ‘absolutely clueless’ contest

It’s been dubbed “the worst NRL game ever”, with viewers left bitterly disappointed by Saturday afternoon’s lacklustre contest in Brisbane.

Kyle Flanagan of the Bulldogs.

Rugby league fans weren’t expecting much to come out of Saturday afternoon’s clash between the Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury Bulldogs, but somehow spectators were still left disappointed.

Brisbane and Canterbury occupied the bottom two spots on the NRL ladder last season, and they proved why at Suncorp Stadium this weekend.

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There were no tries recorded in the first half, the uninspired attacking play frustrating NRL fans.

The Bulldogs looked as though they had secured a certain try in the 12th minute when second-rower Adam Elliot created a linebreak, but recruit Kyle Flanagan dropped the subsequent pass.

The only points in the opening half came from a penalty goal, players returning to the sheds with a dismal 2-0 scoreline.

“It is not a game we will be raving about for a long period of time,” Melbourne Storm great Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.

“Every time a team had a chance, there was an error.”

The Broncos have finally recorded a win.

Collectively, the two teams made 19 errors in the 80-minute contest in dry conditions.

Illawarra Mercury sports editor Tim Barrow tweeted: “That (first) half was absolutely clueless, directionless, hopeless … in the scale of rugby league intelligence, this is the stupidest half of football in history.”

The Australian reporter Brent Read posted: “A mate just sent me a message asking whether this was the worst NRL game ever. I am scratching my head trying to recall one as bad.”

Australian poet Omar Sakr tweeted: “Well, there’s no doubt these are the two worst teams in the competition. And yet I’m still surprised by how bad that half was.”

I have no words....#NRLBroncosBulldogs

— Nathan Appo (@Elusive_Sausage) March 27, 2021

it genuinely seems like both teams are trying their best...they just both suuuuck #nrlbroncosbulldogs

— David Sigston (@dasigston) March 27, 2021

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the Bulldogs and Broncos won't score many points this season. #NRL

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) March 27, 2021

Broncos fullback Jamayne Isaako eventually broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, sprinting through Canterbury’s defensive line and baffling rival fullback Corey Allen with some electric footwork — and the Broncos thankfully rediscovered their mojo from there on out.

A Brisbane victory seemed inevitable when winger Xavier Coates scored near the corner post eight minutes later, finishing the game with a double.

Despite the lacklustre affair, Broncos fans will feel a sense of relief with the club mustering their first win in 259 days, breaking an ugly 13-game losing streak.

It was also Kevin Walters’ maiden victory as an NRL coach.

Xavier Coates scored a double in Brisbane.

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However, both clubs face considerably tougher challenges next weekend, with the Bulldogs and Broncos coming up against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm respectively.

Canterbury has now gone two consecutive rounds without scoring a point.

Former Bulldogs star Braith Anasta lamented on Fox League: “Geez, the Bulldogs are a long way off.”

Commentator Dan Ginnane elaborated: “What is the more demoralising thing here? When you’re part of a team that can’t defend, or part of a team that can’t score?”