Pride restored but Brisbane Broncos fall short against Manly
For 40 minutes at Central Coast Stadium on Thursday night, Brisbane looked like a different side.
For 40 minutes at Central Coast Stadium on Thursday night, Brisbane looked like a different side. Darius Boyd and Anthony Milford revived memories of their halcyon days. Xavier Coates resembled the second coming of Greg Inglis.
The forward pack that was eviscerated by Sydney Roosters seven days ago was clawing back some pride. Brisbane weren’t quite the Broncos of old, but they weren’t far off.
The Broncos went into halftime leading 18-4, seemingly with a morale-boosting two points in their keeping.
Sadly, they still had 40 minutes to play. The second half was the polar opposite of the first. The Broncos’ discipline started to slide as the penalty count soared. Possession swung and so did the game.
Manly didn’t need a second invitation. Only three minutes after the break, halfback and captain Daly Cherry-Evans raced through a gaping hole and the margin was cut to eight points.
Midway through the half, a simple backline movement led to centre Moses Suli strolling over. The Broncos wasted a captain’s challenge when Coates was deemed to have run an obstruction. Scores were level and that decision to query the call would come back to haunt the Broncos.
With 10 minutes remaining, Patrick Carrigan was ruled to have stripped the ball illegally from Jake Trbojevic. Brisbane weren’t happy but had no means to overturn the decision. Reuben Garrick kicked the goal and Manly kept their two-point lead to win 20-18
“It was a really tough call – it was a one-on-one strip,” Seibold said. “If he had called, what normally happens is the guy gets to play the ball again. To lose the game like that is disappointing. I just didn’t think it was a penalty.”
Brisbane hearts were broken when Tom Trbojevic made a try-saver on Coates with one minute remaining, leaving Seibold hopeful but not convinced the criticism of the club will be silenced.
“It was a step in the right direction,” Seibold said. “It is disappointing not to get the result on the scoreboard. It was an improved performance. People that have made comments are not inside our building.
“It doesn’t impact how we train or play. We’re not trying to silence any critics – we’re trying to get better as a group. The people who criticise our club, myself, our players, they are not on board anyway.”
Manly coach Des Hasler was a relieved figure afterwards, although the win came at a cost. Prop Marty Taupau and centre Moses Suli are set to miss at least two weeks apiece after suffering compound fractures to their thumb and finger respectively.
“This side has some character,” Hasler said. “That is a good thing. That is going to serve them well in the months ahead.”
Having been slaughtered after their loss to the Roosters, Brisbane finally found some fight and heart. Two players who were in the crosshairs – Milford and Boyd – were at the heart of Brisbane’s outstanding first half.
Seibold made a series of changes for the game, including the promotion of young giant Coates on the wing. He took only six minutes to make his mark, soaring high to take a Brodie Croft bomb and then off-loading to Kotoni Staggs, who did the rest.
The Broncos terrorised Manly debutant Tevita Funa and they were rewarded when Coates again soared high for a Milford bomb in the 16th minute.
Milford did the damage with his hands with 10 minutes remaining in the half when he provided an assist for Boyd, who carried Tom Trbojevic over the line. The Broncos were leading 18-0 when a second Boyd try was denied due to an obstruction.
They were made to rue that error before halftime when Tom Trbojevic floated a pass to Funa who scored in the corner.
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