Round 1 is a tipper’s graveyard. Just ask our experts tipping panel – six out of six for Souths.
Brisbane upset the applecart the old-fashioned way: they out enthused their opponents, took more of their opportunities and defended for their lives.
11-4 to the Broncos after 80 mins shows that this was more a defensive contest, especially when you factor that six of those points came from an Albert Kelly intercept and another from a Kurt Capewell field goal.
On the underlying metrics, the possession and the run metres and the tackle stats, there was barely an inch between the sides. Games aren’t won on underlying metrics, of course, and it was that intercept and the unlikely field goal that ultimately made the difference.
Souths will come again, because they’re too good not to. It’s not great to lose this game – especially because they have the Storm, Roosters and Panthers next up – but it won’t define them or their season.
The same might not be true for Brisbane. They run into the Bulldogs, Cowboys and Warriors now, and you can see a world where they go 4-0. With the confidence they’ll have gained tonight, it’s more than possible.
“Our defence was the best that it’s been since I’ve been here,” said Broncos coach Kevin Walters.
“That’s the stuff that you can build a team around, that desire and will to stop a team from scoring. That was the most pleasing thing.”
“I bet they had some fun tonight. It’s a tough game, the NRL, but when you win it makes all the difference.
“Tonight, we were in front on the scoreboard at the end of the game. There were some good things that we did, some fun things, but plenty to work on.
“It was a tough, gritty game and we haven’t played that way for a long time.”
All the build-up around the Broncos was about what they don’t have than what they do.
Adam Reynolds, and his absence, was the major headline, and not just because they were set to face his former club: he was seen as the fix-all to the Broncos litany of problems.
As it happens, this was all about the players that they did have on deck playing above themselves. They were coherent, committed and uncomplicated. The Broncos looked like a team that had been given very specific instructions and followed them to the letter.
Albert Kelly, usually on the more inconsistent end of mercurial, had one of the three games a season where he looks like a world beater.
Since his return to the NRL – and in his last few years in Super League – Kelly has given the impression of a guy who had to be convinced that he deserved to be on the field.
With ten minutes to play, he had the ball under his arm at a penalty, barking instructions at his teammates. He looked like a senior player rather than a guy hanging onto a first grade jersey by his fingernails.
Their best player, Payne Haas, was outstanding and Pat Carrigan matched him beat for beat. When Walters handed Capewell the captaincy in Reynolds’ stead, he probably wouldn’t have anticipated him taking on the field goal kicking duties as well, but on both the leadership and the kicking front, Capewell was superb.
There’s a truism about Craig Bellamy teams that when they don’t beat the opposition, at the very least they don’t beat themselves. They put themselves in the argument and ask the other team to be good enough to beat them. So often, they aren’t.
Complete high. Make your tackles. Kick long. Stay in the game. Make the other team beat you.
Brisbane did all those things, and Souths couldn’t.
Selwyn Cobbo, in just his seventh game, was hard to ignore throughout. That wasn’t necessarily always for good reasons, because the kid is as raw as anything, but he put himself onto the stage with hard carries and evasive running.
The Broncos winger is one of those players with such obvious talent that you really, really hope they can live up to it.
The strong performance tonight was more because he did lots of 1% things very well, even though he largely failed in the business end. His 150m running metres are a testament to the continued effort and application that Cobbo showed.
And yet: when he had the chance to score in the corner, he went into touch. When he could have put Albert Kelly over, he threw a ridiculous forward pass. When he had an unchallenged jump at a high kick to score, he dropped it.
It’s the sort of performance that Broncos fans will get excited about because the potential is there, if not the execution. They certainly should get excited, but not because of the spectacular things. It’s the boring things that will allow that talent shine.
At their best, Souths are a well-oiled machine – perhaps more than any of the other in the top tier of NRL teams.
Where Penrith, Melbourne and the Roosters have a culture that can allow them to drop players in and out from time to time, Souths excel when they can get their forces working in concert.
Think of the backline moves last year: Cody Walker, out the back to Latrell Mitchell and onto Alex Johnston in the corner.
Tonight, they were missing Mitchell, lost his replacement Blake Taaffe a day before and while Adam Reynolds’ replacement, Lachlan Ilias, went alright, it was clear that Dane Gagai’s role in the centre might not be best filled by Jaxson Paulo. On the evidence of his first game in the centres in the NRL, he might be better back on the wing.
New coach Jason Demetriou accepted that his team were clunky and were still building into their season.
“The scoreboard put us under pressure and we needed to be more patient with the footy,” said Demetriou.
“The Broncos’ last ditch defence was pretty good as well. I think we had three or four chances and they managed to turn us away and get blokes to cover it. That’s a credit to them.”
“Losing Taaffe on the day of captain’s run didn’t help. We’ve got to build our season, there’s no doubt out that. We’ve got some changes in key people.
I was really happy defensively and how we kept turning up: other than the intercept we conceded one try.
We’ve got to bottle that and sharpen our attack a little bit.”
PeterCtheThird
Guest
Simoc, why on earth would Walters move to America? :-)
Crow
Roar Pro
Walker hit Turpin after he recovered a dropped ball. Turpin was on the ground. Turpin was angry and was immediately replaced.
Crow
Roar Pro
Kelly is quick.
simoc
Guest
Well that was a surprise. Maybe Walters can coach at NFL level. For the past few years Broncos would have given up by late in the second half if not earlier in similar games. They're developing a backbone.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
What surprised me was that nobody chased Kelly, except Arrow. No outside backs looked interested.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Congrats to the Broncos, although I'd heard their preseason was very good, I still expected South's winning culture to be the difference. I think it has taken them 2 years to get their fitness to NRL standard. Demetriou was very upbeat, but he must be bitterly disappointed in the effort some of the South's players dished up. Their middles were really average, especially Nicholls who looks a shadow of his form from the past couple of seasons, and Cody Walker surely is having a lend. Haas and Carrigan on the other hand dominated the middle. Jai Arrow can hold his head up and looks to be in for a big year. Not sure whether Latrell will be a help or a hindrance when he returns.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I was glad to see the Broncos win but it's not much of a guide because the opponents were poor. Still the club needs some confidence and a few wins will give them some belief and play a more mature style. They don't want to get caught up in the idea again that they'll be fine in a year or two when the team gets a bit older. The Pennies have shown that you don't need to wait if you are good enough.
Kurt S
Roar Pro
It sure was a scrappy encounter but the effort that Brisbane showed was wonderful. They believed last night. As you mentioned, Broncos teams of the recent future would have capitulated. And after about 15 minutes it felt like the Broncos defense was teetering yet they found a way to hold on. They were resilient. There will be tougher competition in weeks to come but there are weeks to come to build on this defensive performance. The opening try was against the run of play and although there were plenty of opportunities created, the final execution needs some tuning. Walters caught defense out by straightening up attack a few times early and whilst it didn't get results, having that play in the back pocket might come in handy in future rounds whether he is in the starting 13 or off them bench. If he does come off the bench, Walters might be a handful in the last 20 minutes of each half. Souths got rattled as the game went on. They needed a cool head to get the troops focused when things were going against them. Yet no-one stood up to take charge. Maybe they have a GF hangover and just expected to get the chocolates. If Walker was undisciplined, how will Latrell when he gets onto the field keep his composure with no one calming him down?
Jack
Guest
No doubt he will be cited if its anything at all. I dont think he has anything to worry about tho.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Yes. A belligerent little man, not a lot of bravery there, with a chip on his shoulder just like the other bloke. Time and again, on and off the field, yet he whimpers "It's not who I am."
Limping Rabbits
Guest
Mansour belongs in the NSW Cup. Too slow & always a liability in defence. South’s had plenty of overlaps to exploit. Brisbane kept jamming in in defence. South’s had no decent kicking & passing game out wide to take advantage of that.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Early days but Souths likely to start 0-4 now. Can they come back from that? I sat high in the stands last night and have to say the Rabbits were a rabble. Was shocked by the effort of so many of their players. They are not the same side that stood on Suncorp on October 3 2021. Granted the late shuffle of the backline didn’t help but their ball work was pedestrian. So often you could see the Broncos defence stretched but they lacked a leader to get it wide. And when they did it was far from clinical. Demetriou has some work to do.
Nat
Roar Guru
I very rarely bet on head-to-head footy but at $3.75 and a bit of liquid encouragement I'll be cashing into a top shelf bottle tonight. Well, as "top shelf" as rum gets = $75.
Mike Meehall Wood
Editor
I wrote that piece and went right ahead and tipped Souths :laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
The experts didn't tip the Broncos? Hand in your cards people! :silly: Like Mike wrote yesterday: win the middle, win the game and Brisbane did just that. They consistently made +45m sets, finding their front and quick PTBs. They left another 3 tries out there. Who tipped Capewell to kick a FG? What can't that man do? :laughing: :laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
I still say every Broncos defender on the short site was offside including Kelly when he took the intercept to score Watch the replay, the ball was played about 22m out, Kelly backfoots on the 10m and grabs it about 11m out. The only one who didn't make it 10m was James, he was the 5m marker. :stoked: I was surprised how quick Kelly was. I didn't think he could run 90m let alone keep up the pace the whole way. Not sure about the finger wave though, he should be putting it down before going the crow.
Nat
Roar Guru
I'm not sure he's he's played a losing game where he hasn't put a cheap shot on someone.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Late in he game Walker managed to get a shot on someone on the ground . Not sure if it was frustration or the fact they were losing .
The Barry
Roar Guru
Great stuff from the Broncs… while the Broncos had a slight edge in possession, Souths had plenty of ball down Brisbane’s end of the park. In recent years the Broncos would have found half a dozen ways to lose that one but they stuck to their guns Payne Haas is a freak… 71 minutes, 186 metres and 40 odd tackles. Ably supported by Carrigan who ran for 190. The Haas/Carrigan one-two was very effective. Carrigan is pretty quick and did well running off the back of Payne’s charges and quick PTBs for a bug unit I really rated Carrigan when he came in but he lost his way a little with captaincy and a struggling team. Great to see him bounce back…albeit after one game Staggs and Cobbo both made plenty of errors but when they get it right they’ll be lethal I still say every Broncos defender on the short site was offside including Kelly when he took the intercept to score Souths forwards - apart from Arrow and Murray looked flat. Arrow does so many grubby things that he’s hard to like but I have begrudging respect for him because he’s a tough dude and always aims up… get it… Arrow aims up… I’ll show myself out Souths left edge is normally lethal but Walker was missing Reynolds inside him and Mitchell, Gagai and Johnson outside so explains their clunkiness… they can only get better there WTF was going on with the refs pinging the PTBs? There was nothing unusual about them, but the refereeing was completely different to another of the other games. There was one Tatola got pinged for that you see 150 times every game. Crack down on PTBs if you like - personally I say who cares - but it has to be across the board, not just one ref going rogue… All in all, a pretty scrappy game but enjoyable
Tony
Roar Guru
Bunny boilover.......nice work