NRL 2016: Injury to Andrew McCullough sours Brisbane Broncos’ win over South Sydney Rabbitohs

A POTENTIALLY serious knee injury to hooker Andrew McCullough has overshadowed a big Broncos win at Suncorp Stadium.

BRONCOS hooker Andrew McCullough may have escaped a serious knee injury as Brisbane turned on the theatrics with a 30-8 blitz of the Rabbitohs last night.

In an spiteful clash in front of 40,275, the Broncos continued their NRL premiership charge before James Roberts raced from Suncorp Stadium to be at the birth of his first child.

The Broncos went into the encounter with the opportunity to become the first team in 97 years to not concede a point in three consecutive matches but they would have to do it against a fired up Rabbitohs outfit.

South Sydney ended that run, albeit by only eight points, but the Broncos showed immense character to stifle the spirited Rabbitohs before producing a three-try blitz in the final minutes to record their seventh win of the season.

The win keeps Brisbane at the top of the ladder after eight rounds but it was soured when McCullough hyperextended his left knee in an awkward tackle by 120kg Rabbitohs prop Tom Burgess.

McCullough has been a pillar of consistency for Brisbane, amassing 183 NRL appearances since debuting in 2008, and coach Wayne Bennett said the No. 9 looked to have suffered a calf injury.

Kodi Nikorima flourished at dummy-half but captain Corey Parker said McCullough was a key cog of Brisbane’s premiership quest.

“He (McCullough) is important. He probably doesn’t get the wraps he deserves,” said captain Corey Parker.

“He’s five-foot high and brings the big guys down every week.

“They’ll assess him and work out what’s best for him moving forward.”

It took a clever play from the scrumbase by Nikorima to score the first try and the Broncos posted another just minutes later when Hunt dived over to make it 14-0 at the break.

A fairly timid match exploded when Burgess crunched Joe Ofahengaue on the ground, sparking Greg Inglis to snap a six-match try-scoring drought and breathe life into the contest.

A melee breaks out between the Broncos and Rabbitohs.

Broncos forwards Adam Blair and Ofahengaue were placed on report during the game but Bennett backed his team’s tenacity.

“We were fighting fire with fire,” Bennett said.

“I don’t want to see them turn their back and walk away from it.

“I don’t want to see my players walk away.”

The Rabbitohs’ dreams of a comeback win were snuffed out in remarkable fashion when Oates somehow kept his 192cm body in play with a stunning effort to seal the Broncos’ seventh straight win at home.

Roberts didn’t want to be outdone by Oates, racing 60m after Hunt kicked on the first play to toe the ball ahead for Jordan Kahu to score another scintillating try.

Kodi Nikorima of the Broncos scores a try.

Even Parker got in on the action, scoring in the dying minutes as Brisbane turned on the afterburners to bury the battling Bunnies.

The Broncos will enjoy a lengthy turnaround before facing the impressive Sharks in Cronulla next Sunday, which could give McCullough enough time to prove his fitness if his injury isn’t as serious as first thought.

Originally published as NRL 2016: Injury to Andrew McCullough sours Brisbane Broncos’ win over South Sydney Rabbitohs