NRL 2020, round 10 | Wests Tigers thrash Brisbane Broncos in complete demolition as legends take aim

A flabbergasted Andrew Johns was one of many in rugby league land who had only bad things to say about the Broncos’ horror loss.

Anthony Seibold is finding it tough viewing

The Brisbane Broncos have been slammed after an awful loss to the Wests Tigers on Friday night.

After 35 minutes, the Tigers had scored five tries and were blowing the Broncos off the park to lead 26-0 at halftime, before finishing 48-0 winners at Leichhardt Oval.

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Following a six-game losing streak, the Broncos finally tasted victory over the Bulldogs last week but while it was hoped they’d turned a corner, the Tigers crushed that notion completely.

David Nofoaluma scored first before Harry Grant strolled over from dummy-half, but it was the third try for Luciano Leilua that really showed how bad the Broncos were playing.

Leilua hit a good line from a few metres out and breezed straight past Brisbane halfback Brodie Croft in the 21st minute.

Croft barely lifted his arm to make the tackle with Channel 9’s Andrew Johns delivering a scathing assessment of the Broncos’ start.

“Oh my, oh my. That is hard to describe just how bad that is,“ Johns said. “No communication whatsoever.

“Once the half digs right into the line, the outside defenders have to swarm and defend it from the outside in.

“That time Brodie Croft was in two minds who to take, and his outside man ... he was going out. There was just no communication, no combination in defence whatsoever.

“That was so awful to watch.”

Brodie Croft barely made an impact on Leilua.

Just three minutes later, it got even worse as Jamayne Isaako dropped the ball cold, leaving Benji Marshall to pick it up and cross untouched.

“It can‘t get any worse,” Johns said.

“This is a nightmare for Brisbane,” Channel 9’s Matthew Thompson added.

At halftime, Queensland great Johnathan Thurston said the Broncos had been “dismal from the start”.

On Fox League, Kevin Walters said “they can’t do anything right tonight, the Broncos”.

Walters, who was famously overlooked for the Broncos’ coaching job when Anthony Seibold was signed, tried to find a positive, suggesting there was still plenty of time left for a big comeback – but that was wishful thinking.

Club legend Corey Parker also ripped into his former club.

“Some of the decisions the key Broncos players are coming up with are garbage,” he said.

“I mean at the start of the game they were five from five sets and Anthony Milford puts up a midfield bomb that lands on the 40m line and at the end of that set they (the Tigers) go down, get a repeat set and build some pressure.

“And off the back of that, the Broncos can’t get back into the game. The next time they get the ball they come up with a steal, that’s a penalty to the Tigers. They (the Tigers) kick long, they back their defence, they come up with the points.”

Tigers scoring at will.

The nightmare first half was savaged by pretty much everyone on social media as well.

Still a long way to go in this game. 54 minutes in fact. I’m just not sure the Broncos see that as a positive at the moment. @NRLonNine

— PhilGould15 (@PhilGould15) July 17, 2020

Embarrassing performance from all of the broncos. Should hand back whatever there getting paid. At least have a crack.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) July 17, 2020

The Broncos have had bad halves this season but this is the worst. At least when they got smashed by the Roosters/Eels it was great teams at their best.

This is just awful football. Players scoring untouched, dumb penalties, dumb errors, dumb challenges. Embarrassing! #NRL

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 17, 2020

The Broncos need new players. Not even trying to defend off their own line. #NRLTigersBroncos

— James Smith (@JamesSmith1001) July 17, 2020

Did I see the @brisbanebroncos celebrate their victory over the @NRL_Bulldogs last week as though all their problems were solved? Welcome back to reality courtesy of the @WestsTigers #NRLTigersBroncos

— Darren Arthur (@DArthur_ESPN) July 17, 2020

But while it was the third time the Broncos have been kept to zero in a first half this season, it wasn’t their biggest deficit, which was 29-0 against the Roosters.

The carnage ended up at 48-0 as the Tigers kept a team to zero for the first time in eight years.