The Broncos’ night went from bad to worse after a worrying late-game development.
NRL great Cooper Cronk summed it up perfectly after describing Reece Walsh’s display in Brisbane’s shock 22-20 loss to Parramatta as ‘rocks or diamonds’. While a worrying late-game development for Payne Haas compounded the Broncos’ woes as Michael Maguire’s side saw their top-four hopes take a crushing blow on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.
Walsh thought he’d won an absorbing but scrappy encounter against the lowly Eels when he pounced on an error from Joash Papalii after a grubber kick from Gehamat Shibasaki in the final minute. But replays showed Walsh was in front of his teammate when the ball was kicked and the match-winning try was chalked off to leave Brisbane and their home fans shattered.
It summed up a night to forget for Walsh, who put in another error-riddled display that also included some flashes of brilliance. Brisbane’s superstar fullback was at fault for Parramatta’s opening try to Sean Russell when he failed to diffuse a towering bomb from Mitchell Moses, who was outstanding in his return from injury and also set up a first half try to Zac Lomax with a pinpoint cross-field kick.
Veteran Brisbane halfback Adam Reynolds ensured the home side took a slender lead into halftime though after taking an intercept and running some 80 metres to score. The Broncos captain also put Kobe Hetherington over the tryline with a crafty inside pass to give Brisbane a two-point lead at the break.
Reece Walsh shattered after game to forget for Broncos
Walsh had a second half to forget for the Broncos though and it was his sloppy pass that gifted the Eels possession and led to Lomax’s second try. Moses – who returned from a calf injury he picked up in NSW camp before Game 2 game two of the Origin series – was again at the heart of it as his pass put Will Penisini into space to set up Lomax to cross out wide.
With Brisbane chasing the game, Walsh took several poor options in attack that included a forward pass and an attempted 40/20 kick that went out on the full. But the superstar No.1 gave a stunning reminder of what he’s capable of in an electric last-tackle player that saw him step through Parramatta’s defensive line and set up Billy Walters for a go-ahead try.
The Eels hit the lead again a short time later though when Josh Addo-Carr found space out wide and raced over for a milestone 150th try in the NRL. It set the stage for a grandstand finish but Walsh and the Broncos were ultimately left frustrated after the fullback strayed into an offside position off Shibasaki’s grubber to cap off a rollercoaster game for the erratic No.1.
Hobbling Payne Haas adds to Brisbane’s pain
To make matters worse for Brisbane, NSW Origin prop Haas could be seen limping badly at the end of the match. Maguire left Haas on the bench for 30 minutes in the middle of the match as he battled a lingering lower back complaint. But he came back on for the final stint, before suffering another possible injury that could have serious implications for Brisbane at the back-end of the season.
Payne is OK,” Maguire said in his post-match press conference. But he suggested the superstar prop is feeling the effects of a long and gruelling season that saw him battling the back issue during the State of Origin series for NSW. “That’s just his challenge at the moment to get himself right,” the Broncos coach added.
