Kevin Walters has described his team’s first defeat of the season as a ‘punch in the face’ and said that his team need to learn to fight back better in the future.
“We were in the game at different stages, but over the full 80 (minutes) they were better than us,” said the Broncos coach.
“Every little thing that we tried didn’t come off for us. We got punched in the face today. We’ve got to respect that punch and get our dukes up ready for next week.”
North Queensland brought Brisbane back down to earth with a bump after their young guns fired them to a crushing 38-12 victory in the Queensland derby at Suncorp Stadium.
Jeremiah Nanai and Griffin Neame, with a combined 11 first grade appearances, stole the headlines with Nanai grabbing a hat trick of tries – all from kicks – and Neame grabbing another.
North Queensland utterly dominated proceedings, with Chad Townsend and Tom Dearden – the latter returning to the club that so willingly discarded him – kicking the Broncos to death and Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumalolo winning their own individual battles with Kotoni Staggs and Payne Haas comphrensively.
Perhaps it should have been expected, given that North Queensland battered the Broncos in a trial just a month ago, but few saw this level of dominance coming.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten called it his team’s “most complete performance” since he got the North Queensland job last season.
“We played tough, defended our way out of trouble in the first half … and that was the game,” said Payten.
For the Broncos, it was a worrying return to last year, with old weaknesses to the fore. In particular, it was their lack of defensive application that will trouble Kevin Walters.
He might have other worries too, with Jake Turpin and Kobe Hetherington both put on report in the first half. Jordan Riki was also taken off with a rib injury early on, as was Cowboys forward Coen Hess, his a shoulder problem.
The strength of the Broncos this year has been their ability to stick in games and give themselves the chance to win: today, they completed at 68%, were outrun by 350m and – astoundingly for a team featuring Adam Reynolds – outkicked by over 200m.
It was one-way traffic from the first moments. The Cowboys had opened the scoring through a Valentine Holmes penalty goal before Jeremiah Nanai crossed to extend the lead.
The bunker made a serious intervention in the 24th minute to get Brisbane on the board. Brisbane had kicked low down the left through Albert Kelly, with the ball deflected into the path of Kurt Capewell.
He hacked on, and Farnworth found himself ahead of Kyle Feldt in the race for the ball. Herbie kicked a third time into the in-goal and was then felled by Feldt from behind.
After an age of deliberation of two different offsides, Farnworth was awarded the try, with the bunker deeming that he was certainly have touched the ball down had he not been touched by Kyle Feldt.
The Cowboys’ strong first half was given the reward it deserved in the 38th minute.
Griffin Neame, in just his fifth game of first grade, was the man to cross the stripe but it was all about Jason Taumalolo, whose soft hands sent the rookie through the gap between Adam Reynolds and Keenan Palasia.
The onslaught continued after the break. Reynolds had a nightmare start to the half, narrowly missing a 40/20 attempt to cede field position and then sending a drop out over the sideline.
It was an opportunity not to be missed. Valentine Holmes, who had rolled back the years in the first half with a swerving run, came up with the kind of putdown that he pioneered in his first stint in the NRL to extend the lead yet further.
More was to follow: Jeremiah Nanai, who so confidently touched down a low kick in the first half, rose above Tesi Niu to snare a bomb and put the game beyond the Broncos. He would complete the hat trick just moments later, again fielding a kick to score.
Tom Dearden, impressive throughout, got his reward with a dummy half dart late on before Herbie Farnworth, the only Bronco to emerge from the game with any credit, got one back before the close.
It was no less than North Queensland deserved.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Luck of the draw, Rob ! :silly: Playing the Storm at Suncorp ( or the Sunshine Coast) is no great disadvantage to the Storm, as their record there over the years has always been enormous.
Rob
Guest
Maybe the draw could be worse for the Cowboys Albo. But I’m not coming at they’re being looked after as some sort of insinuation they could possibly be advantaged by an NRL draw. 7 interstate games is still way harder than the 4 the Panthers will do. Also it’s nice to see the Panthers won’t actually play the Storm at AAMI park? They play them away, away from home? How lucky is that? They do actually have to play the Storm twice tho, the second is obviously on the Panthers actual home patch.
Albo
Roar Rookie
"Cowboy are the most traveled team in the competition every year by the way." But not this year , was my point. Travel has been limited in 2022 with 18 of 25 matches in QLD. I agree that the long travels to interstate matches have impacted their performance record over the years, but it shouldn't be so bad this season. As for who each team plays each year and when, well it is all swings & roundabouts, although I'm sure the NRL has marketing in mind with some match ups !
Rob
Guest
Warriors by 59? Surely not.
Rob
Guest
Wow that would have been handy before kick off. Pick the margin. Excellent research.
Rob
Guest
Hang on 6 touches, 4 errors? Are you sure he needs more ball.
Rob
Guest
Hang on Albo. The Cowboy’s play your Championship Panthers twice, this year’s short priced favourites (Roosters) twice. They met the other finalists Manly, Eels and Souths away. The only top side they get once at home is the Storm? Your Panthers get my Cowboys a week after we play Storm and Souths. Gee that’s help the Cowboys. Panthers get wood spoon Dogs twice as well as preseason wooden spoon contenders Dragons and Warriors twice. For 10 years straight between 2010 and 2020 the Panthers only played the Storm once in the regular season. Over the Storm’s great reign of supremacy with Smith, Slater, Cronk and friends the Cowboys played them twice as much as the Panthers? Who’s been looking after the Panthers? Cowboy are the most traveled team in the competition every year by the way.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
2020 Broncos win by 7, win by 4, lose by 28 2022 Broncos win by 7, win by 6, lose by 26
Nat
Roar Guru
It has been noticeable that Herbie has been taking the 1st-2nd hit up off the ruck, depending on when Oates gets it. Must be a tactic for his leg speed as Oates generally gets fast PTBs. Agree he needs to come looking but the halves need to actively get him the ball as well. Yesterday, his 4 errors were brutal and he seemed to lose all confidence.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I reckon Tommy is an Origin candidate in a year or two. He has everything you want in a half but his kicking game is still not quite there . It's getting better though.
Rob
Guest
8-2 because the Dogs were playing illegally pushing the official. 6-0 so the Bulldogs supporters on the Roar could stop whinging. LOL you no how they work the count.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Penalty count 6-0 to the Dogs? We were behind 8-2 at halftime…
Rob
Guest
Firstly it should have been a 40 plus deficit. You cheeky bugger you don’t go to bad at whinging at officials either. All I read was whinging through the Cowboy’s game until the penalties became 6-0 to the Dogs. Pretty sure I see Grasshopper references during origin banter also. Barry God rest his sole died many years ago.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I thought the Farnworth penalty try was a poor decision…
Rob
Guest
LOL memory like an elephant. What’s your take on Capewell in front of kicker inside 10 then Herbie in front of Capewell kick inside 10 play on penalty try. Hammer’s back foot was level with Townsend’s back foot and the Bunker said Hammer’s foot in the air was not behind the kicker? Mate it’s just me seeing different interpretations a couple of weeks apart. I was actually annoyed Hammer thinks he can do a Tedesco and pushed his luck. They didn’t lose to Dogs because of that and I wasn’t overly annoyed about the Hammer’s no try until I saw Penrith and Broncos ( penalty try) If players inside the 10 can suddenly become onside and participate then Hammer would be onside the moment Hess who was onside bats the ball back? I was spewing about the Olam obstruction on reflection to Dogs. The Eels centre first moves in field? He falls over when brushed on the inside shoulder? Yet another take on the rules. They deem the defender (centre) had a chance to get to the winger 15m away? They make stuff up IMO. Broncos have a Reynolds, Hass, Staggs, Kelly and James. It’s more Blue than the Raiders and Knights TB. The officials maybe confused who they’re playing for.
steve
Guest
The other issue is that Reynolds really needs a decent/experienced number 6 outside him to complement his abilities. At the bunnies in the past he had Keary, Walker and John Sutton before that. Albert Kelly doesn't fill me with any confidence whatsoever that he can fill that role on a long term basis.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Hard for the halves to show up when your pack is being steamrolled , and your back 3 can't catch the ball ! I'm sure Reynolds will be back in control of things with a bit of go forward from the pack next week.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Herbie ran the ball 14 times. Kotoni ran it 6 times.(NRL stat) Time for Kevvie to start ordering, downright demanding under threat, and Reynolds is responsible here. If he doesn't get at least as many runs as Herb then then then..... something bad happens to him.
3 R M
Roar Rookie
Not only that Albo we are not playing last year's top 8 twice much its a cracker of a draw. Roosters will be a good test as they will probe any weakness with a plan. we still missed 46 tackles,most were ricochets though. But you can't give the Roosters second chances.
Steve
Guest
Just on Reyno's form. People saying they have never seen him play that bad need to go back and look at some of his games during the first 3 years of his last 5 year contract with the Bunnies. He often had games like that...it was only 2020 and 2021 that he started to earn his money.