Canterbury have strengthened their NRL top-four challenge after a dominant 41-16 victory over an out of sorts Brisbane Broncos outfit at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Connor Tracey scored a hat-trick as Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo came prepared with his side exploiting gaping holes in the Broncos defence all day and could have easily added to their seven tries of the afternoon after multiple blown chances to score.
The defeat – Brisbane’s 11th of 2024 – effectively ends their season. Brisbane’s finals hopes are in tatters, Kevin Walter’s side now requiring a 100 per record in their remaining five matches to give themselves a sniff of playoffs, let alone a return to the Grand Final after the demoralising defeat to Penrith in the 2023 decider.
Flashes of brilliance from Kotoni Staggs and Reece Walsh kept the Broncos in the contest until late in the day but their awful defence and lack of cohesion in attack – even with star half Adam Reynolds in the line-up – meant they never looked a genuine chance of claiming the two competition points in front a big home gallery.
Walters frustrated as Brisbane’s finals hopes hang by a thread
Brisbane fans have waited all season for their club to put together a winning run but it just hasn’t happened. Last week’s victory over Newcastle could’ve been the win needed to kickstart a late-season finals push – instead the Broncos’ equation to get back into the finals picture is now five wins from five required, including a trip north to Queensland Country Bank Stadium and hosting Melbourne – a game that could have minor premiership implications for the Storm.
“We’ve got to win but we’ve got to get back to playing our footy,” Broncos coach Kevin Walters said when asked about the Broncos’ finals chances. “We’ll have discussions with the coaching staff and players and try to plan for that.”
Broncos have zero answers for Ciraldo masterclass
Bronson Xerri got the Bulldogs off to a good start as Canterbury began to throw the ball around and the centre crashed over for the first four-pointer.
Soon after it was Connor Tracey’s turn to score from Toby Sexton’s deft kick behind the Broncos line with Walsh pushed up and away from the action.
Canterbury were in again after Jacob Kiraz produced a moment of sheer brilliance to reel in Reed Mahoney’s cross-field kick and give off a simple pass for Jeral Skelton to go in for the Dogs’ third try.
Payne Haas is tackled. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Brisbane responded with talisman Walsh scoring their first try with a set move from a scrum after Staggs forced a Canterbury error deep in Bulldogs territory.
Walsh then executed an excellent 40-20 but the Broncos could not capitalise with Payne Haas joining the forward kickers club with predictable results.
Instead of just playing out their final set of the first half Ezra Mam kicked for Staggs who ran 65 metres to score, beating multiple defenders including Tracey one-on-one to reduce the half-time deficit to just six points after Brisbane had been well outplayed in the opening 40 minutes.
Reserving the momentum after the break was Viliame Kikau, muscling his way over the line from close range to stretch his side’s lead to 12 points in the 41st minute.
Tracey doubled his money in the 58th minute, the Bulldogs yet again making a line break with ease and the No.1 finished off the move to stretch the lead again.
Kiraz put the result out of Brisbane’s reach, making light work of the defence to score Canterbury’s sixth try of the day with the Broncos completely out of answers defensively.
After yet another line break Tracey completed his hat-trick, putting an exclamation point on an impressive Bulldogs win.
Martin Taupau added the Broncos’ third try in the 76th minute but it was mere consolation before Burton kicked a field goal.