Brisbane 36 North Queensland 2
ON THE 100th anniversary of the founding of the Queensland Rugby League last night, it seemed little had changed - the Broncos are again a premiership threat and the Cowboys look more likely to challenge for the wooden spoon.
Despite being without the injured Darren Lockyer and Karmichael Hunt, Brisbane's band of youngsters blew their more illustrious North Queensland rivals off the park to maintain the club's unbeaten record this season and leave their rivals still searching for a win.
Fittingly, the Broncos did so in front of a club record crowd at Suncorp Stadium of 50,612 that had turned out to watch the Queensland derby played 100 years to the day that the game was founded in the state.
Led by new halfback Peter Wallace, the home side raced in six tries but even more impressively they kept the Cowboys scoreless - a result that is certain to put pressure on the Townsville-based club to replace coach Graham Murray after already announcing he will be replaced at the end of the season.
In their three games this season, the Cowboys have conceded 102 points and they appeared to lack the enthusiasm and fitness of their rivals, who were determined to put in a big performance in the absence of Lockyer and Hunt.
After nine months on the sideline recovering from a knee reconstruction, the task of having to play two games in five days took its toll on Lockyer and he was a late withdrawal due to soreness in his right leg.
The Brisbane and Australian captain had most of the week off training but is expected to be fit for next Friday night's match against premiers Melbourne and Hunt may also return after succumbing to a quadriceps injury.
After losing Lockyer and Hunt before kick-off, the Broncos looked to have suffered another casualty in the first tackle of the match when Ben Hannant was concussed in a collision with rival prop Ray Cashmere from the kick-off.
Replays showed that while trying to line-up Cashmere for a big shot, the in-form front-rower was the victim of an equally powerful hit from teammate Ashton Sims that forced referee Ben Cummins to stop play so Hannant could be treated as he lay in the ruck.
Remarkably, Hannant remained on the field and he was eventually the first tryscorer of the match in the 31st minute.
Before then, the Broncos had to dig deep in defence to hold out a North Queensland outfit that seemed to be continuously camped on their line for the opening 20 minutes or so.
With Sims, Hannant and rookie forward Dave Taylor leading the way for Brisbane with some thunderous tackles, all the Cowboys could manage was an eighth minute Johnathan Thurston penalty goal.
Peter Wallace drew the scores level at 2-2 after Justin Smith was penalised for a high shot as the Brisbane halfback kicked the ball and from then on the home side took charge.
A 28th-minute Wallace kick into the North Queensland in-goal that ended with teenage winger Denan Kemp and his left side centre partner Steve Michaels trapping Matt Bowen to force a goal line drop out and with Travis Burns conceding a penalty for a dangerous throw it was only a matter of time before the Broncos scored.
Again Wallace was involved and when David Stagg leap above Bowen and Thurston to contest his towering bomb, Hannant dived on the loose ball to claim just his third try in a 56-game NRL career.
From there, the floodgates opened as first PJ Marsh crossed after veteran lock Tonie Carroll burst into the clear and shaped to pass before grubbering infield and then fullback Darius Boyd beat four defenders to grab Brisbane's third try within seven minutes.
Ahead 18-2 at half-time, the Broncos effectively put paid to any hope of a North Queensland comeback just seven minutes after the re-start when winger Reece Robinson grabbed his first try since a phone call from Anthony Mundine to Wayne Bennett led to him making his NRL debut three weeks ago.
BRISBANE 36 (D Boyd M Ennis B Hannant P Marsh S Michaels R Robinson tries M Ennis 3 P Wallace 3 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 2 (J Thurston goal) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Ben Cummins. Crowd: 50,612.
