Brisbane Broncos 16
North Queensland Cowboys 12
One of the games of the season in the second qualifying final at Suncorp Stadium has seen the Brisbane Broncos take a hard fought four point victory over the North Queensland Cowboys.
The pace of the game tonight was incredible from both sides and made it a wonderful game to view. There really wasn’t a lot between the two sides and that showed up in the final scoreline of what was an incredibly hard fought game.
There is no question now, that after a game like that the week off for the Brisbane Broncos will be much needed and the Cowboys will be hoping and probably needing the Rabbitohs and Sharks to bash each other around in a similar way to tonight’s game.
The Broncos best on ground would have been Ben Hunt. He played an exceptional kicking game and controlled things when needed for the Broncos, trying to give his forwards appropriate rest which was an important part of the puzzle in a game played at such a pace. Hunt also had the right levels of creativity and didn’t overplay his hand.
Anthony Milford also really sprung to life in the second half and could well have been the difference in the end, along with the spark provided off the bench by Kodi Nikorima.
Sam Thaiday, Adam Blair, Matt Gillett and Corey Parker were also among the best on ground with brilliant go forward for the Broncos.
The Cowboys were no without their fair share of players that played exceptional games tonight either, with Johnathan Thurston for the most part leading the way. That was despite a couple of brain fades which led to poor kicks at crucial time and along with the effort of Milford in the second half could have proved to have been part of the difference in the game.
Michael Morgan was also exceptional on ground, with Justin O’Neill adding a lot from the centres. Ben Hannant, Jason Taumalolo, James Tamou and Jake Granville also played well tonight and kept the Cowboys close to the Broncos right throughout the game.
The Cowboys wasted a lot of opportunities throughout the first half, having 21 tackles in the Broncos own 20 metre zone and only having a penalty goal to show for it.
The Broncos opened the scoring with a penalty goal before the only try of the first half was scored in a great individual effort by Ben Hunt. He got the ball 40 metres out with the Broncos on a roll before he dummied and stepped his way around the defensive line and scored under the posts.
The frustration of not being able to score got to the Cowboys as they took a penalty goal of their own and brought the gap back to a converted try.
After the break, it was clear the Cowboys had to be the first to score which they did through Antonio Winterstein. The try came off a Broncos error and Johnathan Thurston was able to quickly organised his attacking line and caught the Broncos line napping.
After missing the conversion though, the Cowboys were still two points down and the game re entered a period where no one looked like scoring.
Anthony Milford then scored for the Broncos off a break from the first run of Kodi Nikorima. It looked like it might have been enough to put the result beyond doubt, however you can never rest against the Cowboys.
When Johnathan Thurston scored with just 8 minutes to go off a Justin O’Neill kick and some innovative play it was game back on.
However, the Cowboys were never able to score again, the Broncos defence holding solid.
An incredible game then sees the Broncos have a week off and the Cowboys host the winners of tomorrow’s Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs clash. By far one of the games of the season tonight though, the Broncos winning by four.
The second qualifying final in the 2015 NRL finals sees the North Queensland Cowboys travel south to take on the Brisbane Broncos in a Queensland derby. Join The Roar for our live coverage of the match from 7:30pm (AEST).
The Broncos missed out on the minor premiership last weekend when they made a mess of a match against the Melbourne Storm. While they were without star half Ben Hunt, there were plenty of worrying signs for Brisbane throughout the game.
However before that they recorded a big win against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and went down in a nail-biter to the Sydney Roosters. You would like to think the Broncos will play a little bit more like that against the Cowboys tonight with a spot in the preliminary finals on the line.
Meanwhile the Cowboys enter the finals off the back of a barnstorming win over the Gold Coast Titans. However before that they lost three of their previous four games, against the Cronulla Sharks, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm – all teams that finished inside the top eight. You have to wonder where the Cowboys’ form is.
Both teams have some massive inclusions for this match. For the hosts, Hunt is back from injury, which will see Ashley Taylor miss out. Alex Glenn and Jordan Kahu are also back, at the expense of David Stagg and Lachlan Maranta.
The Cowboys welcome Michael Morgan back ahead of schedule, pushing Ray Thompson back to 18th man, with Matthew Wright added in jersey number 19. Ben Hannant will also go back to the bench with Jason Taumalolo starting at lock.
For the Broncos to win they need to play as they did against the Rabbitohs, rather than relying on defence and generally playing a majority of the game in their own half as they have throughout the year. If they do that here, Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan and Lachlan Coote – North Queensland’s own ‘Big Three’ – will put the Broncos to the sword.
The Broncos’ key is Anthony Milford, who will be able to play a more creative style with Hunt back in the side.
The loser of this match plays the winner of the Sharks versus Rabbitohs clash, while the winner has the week off.
Prediction
With Morgan returning the Cowboys look too strong. The Broncos play a style that suggests the Cowboys will run all over them and I will tip them to do exactly that.
Cowboys by 10.
Join The Roar for live coverage of this match from 7:30pm (AEST), and don’t forget to add your thoughts in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
Psychodelia
Guest
Who is eating whose words? And were you one of the 10 bunnies fans at the game? Talk about fair weather fans! Boasting about having the biggest fanbase last year, and your team does it tough this year, like every other team who wins the comp the year before, to double up the next year, and the mighty South faithful desert their team in droves. It was a spiteful, ill disciplined game - the Broncos and Cowboys game put Sharkies and Bunnies game to shame.
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
More of a threat than souffs
Barick
Guest
Why wasn't he penalised?
Kris
Guest
Could no agree more! I was at the game and just about every Bronco's fan sighed in exasperation every time he kicked! It wasn't until midway through the second half our kicking game actually came good. JT showed how it was done. Every kicked found space and skidded and bounced awkwardly for the receivers. Most of the time the Cowboys returned the ball to the 20-30m line for the first tackle, and the Broncs got stuck between the goal and 10m line. It was the almost the single reason why the Cowboys had such good field position throughout the game. But in a way it makes the defensive performance all the more remarkable! Still against a more physical team (eg roosters, bulldogs or storm) I'm not as confident they could gift such good field position and live to tell the story.
Maroon Blood
Guest
Not complaining about the refereeing last night, just want to ask a questionn to see what others think. How was Milfords try saving effort of putting his arm out to stop a pass which resulted in the ball hitting his arm and being propelled towards his OWN tryline a knock on? Why do referees automatically call knock on whenever a player touches the ball and it hits the ground? Was I seeing it wrong? Oh, and cracking game by the way, congrats to both teams for playing the game the way it should be played, the officials for letting it be a fast game and the 53K+ crowd for such an awesome atmosphere. The other two semis were park footy by comparison.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Here we go, all the Broncs and Cows fans are counting their GF's already. This was a great game but one game does not win the Broncs the GF as yet. There are allot of other variables to every game and let's see how these teams perform in the coming weeks.
steveng
Roar Rookie
You can add the 'tripping' like it was performed on Benji!!! Which is an ugly and abhorrent way of tackling a player. The NRL are allowing 3-4-5 players to tackle an attacking players with tripping and flopping as all part of a legal tackle, that surely is a 'receipe for disaster' sooner than later!!!
steveng
Roar Rookie
HaHahaa..."Rabbitohs no chance. Sharks are alright" WHAT, you will be eating those words come 6pm Sunday. Go the Rabbits!!!
steveng
Roar Rookie
The Cows gave the game to the Broncs. Hunt was never ever threatened with his kicking game on the 5th tackle and he just did whatever he wanted to control and generate the Broncs game. Morgan had a shocker and he made that many mistakes that it cost the Cows at least 2 tries, all the other boys tried their hearts out but the Cows dropped too many balls and made too many mistakes. Judging by what I saw last night the Cows are in no way a threat to winning the GF.
Casper
Guest
You can't be serious in rating Hunt's kicking game as top class? Everything else he did was quality, but finding catchers on the full most times was not my idea of a good kicking game.
Benny
Guest
Roosters don't rely on a dead-game at all. They are just as up-tempo as Broncos and Cowboys. All three of those teams rely extremely heavily on momentum, something you can't get from killing the pace of the game.
Grand Armee
Guest
On paper, the Cowboys should beat the Sharks or Souths in a sell-out Townsville final; however, even though it is a bad cliche, one week a time please. The last thing I want is to look to far ahead and end up out in straight sets.
langerthebronco
Guest
Wanbel
SpongeBob
Guest
Mmm, Melbourne just did their usual BS. Just like the Bulldogs last year, they have extremely little in attack or defence, just absolutely killed games to the point of ridiculousness and managed to sneak home. All it needs is a ref to grow a pair and they're toast, but we know that isn't going to happen. Came out guns blazing in round 1, it's as slow as it's ever been now. Roosters to their credit do have good attack & defence, they aren't totally reliant on it being a 'dead game' for them to win.
Maverick1990
Roar Rookie
Hell yeah! Love the tok pisin btw. Yumi go Broncos!
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
Melbourne showed how to beat the Roosters. Match them up front and pressure Maloney and and they are very vulnerable. I think the Broncos at Suncorp in front of 52,000 will have too much class. Hunt is the form player of the competition at the moment.
SpongeBob
Guest
Broncos vs Storm or Broncos vs Cowboys Rabbitohs no chance. Sharks are alright, not good enough though. The only way the Storm will win is by killing the play the ball & being offside all night. Based on the first final the officials are quite happy to let this go (despite the "we need to stop this BS" angle that was harped on at the start of the year). Roosters are also good at killing the play, but they have good attack & defence to win even if they can't control the ruck (which should not even be a thing, you get tackled and you play the ball, there should not even be a "well this team is just super at pretending they're getting up quickly while really not, and then flopping like a fish any time they're held down to get a penalty"). The Storm literally cannot win a game of football unless they're allowed to hold the opposition down forever, even the Knights beat them when they didn't get that leverage. Broncos Cowboys Storm (unless officials grow a spine in the next week, unlikely) Roosters could go the distance but they'll be beaten in the semi's by the Broncs.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Broncos nambawan!
Bronco Juggernaut
Guest
So what is everyone else's tip for the GF?
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I think the Roosters are still capable with Pearce coming back to take pressure off Maloney, but after these first 3 games I can't see any of the second four putting their hands up. Dogs just didn't look the goods to me and while 'Nulla could change my mind tomorrow I don't have them penciled in as a genuine threat yet.