The South Sydney Rabbitohs will be out to exact revenge for a one-point loss to the Brisbane Broncos last time the two sides met when they visit Suncorp Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7:50pm (AEST).
It was a last-gasp Anthony Milford field goal that handed Wayne Bennett’s men a thrilling victory in a controversial affair at ANZ Stadium.
Three consecutive wins followed for Brisbane before State of Origin again took its toll.
The Broncos will head into tonight’s fixture looking to snap a two-game losing streak in which they have fallen to the Warriors 28-10 and the Roosters 18-16.
The return of a raft of Origin stars saw them produce a much better performance against the Bondi brigade on the weekend in a match in which they held the upper hand in nearly every key area.
They won the metres battle 1838-1591, missed just 24 tackles to the Roosters’ 40 and had 55 per cent possession to the hosts’ 45.
With the exception of Milford, every one of the Broncos’ Origin players backed up on the weekend, while all six will face the Rabbitohs tonight.
Milford has been named to replace Benji Marshall at five-eighth, while Kodi Nikorima will come in for axed halfback Ben Hunt in a move that has caused rugby league shockwaves.
Marshall and Joe Ofahengaue will both start on the bench in changes that have shifted Jaydn Su’A and Herman Essese out of the starting line-up.
It is with their new-look 17 that the fifth-placed Broncos will eye off a top-four position.
A South Sydney outfit also looking to arrest a two-game losing streak will meet the Broncos in the furnace of Suncorp Stadium, however the Rabbitohs are coming off a bye.
They went down in a gritty 14-6 affair to the Storm in Perth in Round 11, before the Eels powered through them 22-16.
They lacked discipline against Parramatta in a performance coach Michael Maguire slammed as “unacceptable”, missing ten more tackles than Brad Arthur’s men, completing at 70 per cent to the Eels’ 80 and dropping a lot of ball.
Sitting in 13th on the ladder and two wins outside the eight means Souths will have to click into gear soon if they are to pinch a top-eight finish.
In the Rabbitohs’ only two team changes from their clash with the Eels, Bryson Goodwin will start in the centres in a move that has shifted Tyrell Fuimaono to the bench, while Jason Clark has been named on an extended bench ahead of a possible return from injury.
Prediction
Expect the Broncos to be too strong for the Rabbitohs.
The surprise axing of Hunt says there is some seriously hot competition for spots in the halves at Red Hill, so expect Milford and Nikorima to have big games in steering Brisbane’s big men around the park and in testing the visitors on their own try-line.
That aside, conquering the Broncos in the fortress that Suncorp Stadium has become will never be an easy challenge.
Broncos by 18.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7:50pm (AEST).
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Yeah - you have to wonder how they can afford to have Milford, Hunt, Marshall and Nikorima on the payroll
Emcie
Roar Guru
and when he does pass he's usually cramped Oates for space and waits until he's marked by at least three players... just hanging out for Bird next year
Pam Johnson
Guest
So much fumbling in the first minutes They got there mojo back and ended up winning It was a very hard game for the boys Well done
Rossy
Roar Rookie
Dead set, was at the game and he must have turned down at least 5 oppurtunities to put an unmarked corey oates away tonight and just held it.
Mike from tari
Guest
You didn't mention the refereeing error in awarding a try or the knock on from Milford for his field goal.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Milford injured as Broncos hold off Rabbitohs A shoulder injury to five-eighth Anthony Milford soured the Brisbane Broncos’ 24-18 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium tonight. With the scoreboard reading 22-12 just eight minutes out from full-time, the former Raider left the field clutching at his left shoulder after diving for a loose ball. It would be Kodi Nikorima and the evergreen Benji Marshall who would partner in the halves for the dying stages of the Friday night fixture as the hosts staved off a fast-finishing Rabbitohs outfit. In possession of a ten-point buffer and seemingly cruising to victory, a frantic passage of South Sydney play on Brisbane’s line – in which Milford went to ground – would pave the way for the Bunnies to make it a four-point ball-game. A repeat set followed the Rabbitohs’ desperate series of passes in which a pin-point Adam Reynolds punt found blossoming second-row Angus Crichton who would latch on to the Steeden in the 74th minute before a successful Reynolds conversion reduced the deficit to 22-18. Marshall would turn back the clock moments later to force a goal-line drop-out with a perfectly weighted grubber, before a failed short drop-out attempt from Souths saw Jordan Kahu knock over a 79th-minute penalty goal. Fuelled by a neck-busting Michael Maguire spray after the side’s recent loss to the Eels, the Bunnies then had one more roll of the dice in the final minute of play but were not able to stretch the game into golden point. It was the visitors who would come out all guns blazing early in the second stanza, warrior-like forward Sam Burgess carrying two defenders over the line four minutes in to ignite the Bunnies’ second-half surge. It came off the back of a wealth of possession and optimal field territory to the Rabbitohs before Reynolds made no mistake from the tee to lock things up at 12-apiece after the visitors had trailed 12-6 at the break. But Brisbane then snagged two consecutive tries to blow the game open, the first to Kahu on the right edge off the back of a touch of Milford magic. The Queesnland playmaker laid a gorgeous ball on his bootlace five metres out from Souths’ line that would sit up faultlessly for Kahu steaming through. The winger failed to convert but the ‘Fro Bros’ would combine five minutes later when Sam Thaiday collected an Adam Blair pass on the Bunnies’ line to barrage his way over. Kahu made no mistake this time to hand the hosts a 22-12 lead. The Rabbitohs’ late resistance would follow before Brisbane held on for another tight win over Souths to move into the top four. The game didn’t get off to a dream start for Wayne Bennett’s men, Nikorima awakening memories of Ben Hunt’s grand final horror when he spilled his lollies off the kick-off to give the Rabbits an early sniff. Nonetheless, it was the Queensland outfit who drew first blood when a left-edge spread found an unmarked Corey Oates in the 14th minute. Kahu made no mistake from the tee to hand his side a 6-0 buffer before Matt Gillett collected a Nikorima short-ball five minutes later, Kahu again adding the extras as the hosts opened up a 12-0 lead. As they would go on to do time and again in another thrilling Broncos versus Rabbitohs encounter, the visitors hit back in the 25th minute. It was a gun barrel-straight kick from Reynolds that resulted in Souths’ first try of the night, Bryson Goodwin swallowing the ball with a sky-high leap over the pack to the left of the uprights before Reynolds made things 12-6. The Rabbitohs are now set for another Friday night battle in which they will play host to the Titans, while the Broncos will enjoy a Round 15 bye.
Mundane
Guest
2 Free to air thriller games over 2 nights - to use the ex manly coach Toovey's exclamation - there must be an investigation...
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME: BRONCOS 24 DEF RABBITOHS 18 Wayne Bennett's men scrape home in another thriller. They pipped the Rabbits with a field goal back in Round 8 and have now walked away six-point winners in a game that went down to the final play of the game. What are our thoughts on the game, Roarers? Stay tuned - match report to come.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Great game. Rabbitohs in it to the end but Broncos just hung on for the win. Lucky for Broncos they have an abundance of halves with Milford looking to miss a few games.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
80 | Souths in possession. Final minute of play. Can the Bunnies take the game into golden point?! They spread it right, Cook darting in search of a hole and Brisbane shut him down to the sound of the full-time siren! Broncos 24 Rabbitohs 18
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
79 | PENALTY GOAL, BRONCOS, KAHU Reynolds opts for a short goal-line drop-out that doesn't make it ten! It trickles into touch and Brisbane opt for the two. Broncos 24 Rabbitohs 18
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
77 | EVERGREEN Marshall forces a goal-line drop-out on the Rabbits' line. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 18
Emcie
Roar Guru
pass the ball moga!!
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
74 | TRY, RABBITOHS, CRICHTON Things go from bad to worse for the Broncos as the Bunnies close the deficit! First Milford goes off injured, then Crichton latches on to a centimetre-perfect kick from Reynolds! The second-row leaps high to snatch it up and plant the ball to the right of the posts! Reynolds makes it a four-point ball-game from virtually straight in front. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 18
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
MILFORD INJURED The Queensland half trudges off clutching at his arm. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 12
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
71 | Korbin Sims drops another ball. Rabbitohs' scrum 30 metres out from own line. They spread the pill left before earning a penalty. Reynolds kicks for touch and the Bunnies are in with a sniff. Musgrove with a good run up the middle before the visitors spread the ball right as the ball goes to ground! ANYONE'S BALL! Roberts with a desperate dive but he can't get a hand to it before the Bunnies earn a scrum 30 metres out. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 12
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
70 | Reynolds with a high ball on last tackle in Broncos territory. Kahu takes it with safe hands before the hosts earn a penalty. A good set here and they could put the game to bed. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 12
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
68 | NO TRY, BRONCOS, MOGA This try of Moga's is denied by the men upstairs but Brisbane remain a threat on the Bunnies' line. Roberts STEAMS onto a right-edge pass but the Rabbits are able to bring him down! The New South Wales hopeful was shooting through like a Bondi tram! Souths back in possession. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 12
Emcie
Roar Guru
ugh, moga, stop getting greedy
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
65 | The Rabbits attempt a short kick-off but it doesn't go ten! Broncos' penalty and they kick for touch to storm into Souths territory once again. Milford with ordinary kick that scoots along the ground and the Rabbits are back in possession and marching up the middle. But Walker fumbles and stumbles on the right edge and Brisbane are back with the pill! Brisbane scrum at halfway. Broncos 22 Rabbitohs 12