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Reynolds says Broncos have to use 'sh--ty feeling' as motivation as Melbourne run up 60 to derail finals hopes

19th August, 2022
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19th August, 2022
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Adam Reynolds has said that the Broncos have to use the ‘shitty feeling’ of copping a massive 60-12 loss to Melbourne to help them to win the last two games of the season and secure their spot in the finals.

Brisbane had looked like they would walk into the post-season, but the crushing defeat at the hands of the red hot Storm has left them needing a result from next week’s game with Parramatta to avoid a last day showdown with the Dragons that could see their for and against, now perilous, come into play.

“We have to use this as motivation going forward,” said captain Reynolds. “It’s always a shitty feeling sitting in the sheds knowing that you haven’t done your job and the result hasn’t gone your way. It’s about moving forward now.

“We can bounce back – there’s two weeks to go in this competition and they’re must-win games for us. When they’re must-win, you have to perform. It’ll be interesting to see how we respond. I’m sure we will.”

Melbourne, for their part, underlined their late season surge and marked themselves out as Premiership contenders again after a midseason wobble that saw them lose four on the spin.

The Storm built on the impressive defensive performance that kept Penrith at bay, but added some scintillating attack.

Harry Grant, in NRL game 50, scored one and set up two in a man of the match performance, while Nelson Asofa-Solomona – one brain fade aside – was devastating both in the middle and on an edge.

“If someone said to me he had a milestone game tonight, I would have thought it would have been 100,” said coach Craig Bellamy. “He’s been at our club a long time and he’s been in reserve grade because of Cameron Smith.

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“He’s had a real long apprenticeship, and he probably didn’t need that. He’s playing some unbelievable footy and we all know that. That wasn’t just proven tonight, he’s done that for a couple of years now.

This was the latest instalment in one of the most one-sided of NRL rivalries: the Storm have now won 12 straight over the Broncos, 11 straight against them at Suncorp and their last five clashes have seen a collective score of 258 to 62 in Melbourne’s favour.

It didn’t all go Melbourne’s way. They lost Xavier Coates to a concussion, then his replacement, Tyran Wishart, departed with a syndesmosis injury, while Tui Kamikamica also nursed a back complaint.

For the Broncos, this was a rude awakening to the levels that they will face in the finals, if they make it. They will have to do it without Kurt Capewell, who left in the 52nd minutes with an ankle complaint and did not return. Kevin Walters rated him as unlikely to face Parramatta next week.

The logistics of the finals are one thing, but getting there would be near-pointless if they turn up and played like this. It wasn’t even close, with the Storm dominating the ball, rolling downfield with ease and getting over the stripe far too easily.

“It was a good lesson on how to play rugby league for our boys,” said Walters. “First half, not a lot of things went our way and we didn’t have that resilience in the second half to get ourselves back in the game.

“It was a terrific performance from the Storm, not so good from us. I’m expecting a good reaction from our players. I’m quite surprised with the result because I know the guys are working hard, but we didn’t have that resilience tonight to stop the Storm.”

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The Storm started with intent. Asofa-Solomona lined up Ezra Mam – as had been threatened all week – and flicked the ball out the back door for Young Tonumaipea to score.

Brisbane then butchered a try through Kotoni Staggs, but were gifted one by some horrendous Storm play.

Asofa-Solomona tried another no-look back flick in the middle of the field, sending the ball well behind the line, and his mistake was compounded by Xavier Coates’ attempt to keep the ball in play, which went straight to Kurt Capewell for an easy run in.

The Storm didn’t let their mistake bother them. Grant slipped Tui Kamikamica in on a crash play to get back in front, before Justin Olam smuggled a late offload that David Nofoaluma touched down.

The Broncos were behind, but managed to change the tempo. Kobe Hetherington went straight down the middle to get them into position, from which Mam went very close. On the other side, Selwyn Cobbo might have scored, but also failed to make a good opportunity count.

If you miss against Melbourne, they invariably make you pay. With time running out on the half, Grant kicked for Cameron Munster, and when they came back out for the second half, the hooker managed to find his own way over to make it 30-6.

It continued. Olam shrugged off Staggs in a dismissive manner to score one, then moments later, got on the end of a superb Kenny Bromwich pass for a second.

Corey Oates grabbed one back, which sufficiently spooked Melbourne that, when presented with the chance, they chose to kick a late penalty goal and take time off the clock.

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Not that it mattered, as Jahrome Hughes put the tin hat on the result with a well-taken individual try. Asofa-Solomona then redeemed his early mistake from a short side play and Nofoaluma showed Cobbo a clean set of heels. Nick Meaney added the goal to make it a round 60 as time elapsed.

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