Broncos ‘nightmare’ start before hit back against Melbourne Storm

Despite a horrible start and coming up against the Melbourne Storm juggernaut, the Brisbane Broncos have had an improved performance.

Better from Brisbane but still a long way away.

The Brisbane Broncos have had a horrific start to their clash against the Melbourne Storm but since then appeared primed to give the ladder leaders a run for their money.

At 14-8 at halftime, it appeared to be an arm wrestle but the Storm once again showed why they have been so good for so long, running away with six second half tries to win 46-8.

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The match began as many had expected with the Storm scoring off its first possession and went down the short side, with a grubber ricocheting around on the ground they went down the short side with Kenny Bromwich kicking the ball along the ground.

As the ball came to new Broncos fullback Anthony Milford, the ball went straight between his legs with Josh Addo-Carr scoring just under 90 seconds into the game.

“It looks like it’s going to be a try, it’s a nightmare start for the Broncos and a quick start for the Storm,” Braith Anasta said on Fox League.

The Foxx gets over the line in the opening minutes 🔥 🦊

📺 Stream #NRLBroncosStorm : https://t.co/EscgCEsUTy
📝 Live blog: https://t.co/WuHea6I7UO
📱Match Centre: https://t.co/0fq7mSMTfI pic.twitter.com/JsefEN7ALP

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 24, 2020

90 seconds for the first Storm try. It’s going to be a looooooong night for the Broncos #NRL #nrlbroncosstorm

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 24, 2020

Well.. here’s hoping this doesn’t set the tone for the rest of the game 😭 #NRLBroncosStorm

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) July 24, 2020

Anthony Milford
World Tunnel Ball Champion 2020#NRLBroncosStorm #NRL

— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) July 24, 2020

Fans worst fears appeared to be set to be realised as the Broncos horror two months looked set to get much much worse.

Before the match on Fox League, one of the pundits suggested it could be 70-0 but when they say it can only get better, it did for the Broncos for a while.

Herbie Farnworth was denied in the corner by a fraction of a second with Anasta saying “that is so unlucky, that is such a tough call, it’s the right call but it’s horribly unlucky”.

Warren Smith said “that one play might sum up the Brisbane Broncos’ 2020”.

It was a good effort from Farnworth who got low only to be denied but he wasn’t denied minutes later as the ball went through the hands to set him up in the corner.

The Broncos then went ahead on the scoreboard with a penalty goal.

While the Storm hit back to lead 14-8 at the break, it was good signs from the Broncos with suspended hooker Isaac Luke sent a message to his teammates.

Boys are going well. #NRLBroncosStorm
2nd half on way ✊🏽

— issac luke (@issacluke_14) July 24, 2020

If Brisbane played every half of football since the restart like that they’d probably have 3 more wins and be in the top eight. Let’s see if they can back it up because we’ve seen good first halves before that resulted in poor second ones #NRL #NRLBroncosStorm

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 24, 2020

The commentators were also impressed by the Broncos as they were far from the same side who were defeated 48-0 by the Wests Tigers last week.

“They’re just going through their paces aren’t they Melbourne,” Paul Vautin said on Channel 9.

But the Storm are the Storm and quickly opened up a 30-8 lead by the 60th minute.

Andrew Johns said “it hasn’t represented the contest it has been”, while Vautin said he hoped it wasn’t a blowout.

Unfortunately it was.

Fox League commentator Warren Smith shared the stat that since the return from the season suspension, the Broncos have been outscored 92-292.

The Storm scored six unanswered tries, with the Broncos denied after a knock on in a contested bomb.

Ryan Papenhuyzen added to the Broncos’ woes.

For a club who is as far down the Broncos are, it was a much improved performance despite what turned out to be a thrashing.

Braith Anasta said the Broncos were looking good but the second half once again revealed their issues.

“If you look at the Broncos, they’re 16th in the competition for defence, which they are, and they average over 30 points per game this season against, it’s just nowhere near the mark,” he said. “The first half looked really promising, and they’ve just thrown the towel in. The lack of resilience in this second half, that’s what hurts.

“You couldn’t question the first half, it was great, it was their best half of the year. Their cohesion and balance in the spine looked really good. Just some soft tries late in this game has dampened that.”