Broncos Outlast Raiders to Seal Top Two Finish

The Brisbane Broncos have outlasted the Raiders 18-29 at GIO Stadium to lock down a top two finish heading into next week’s final round.

Winger Selwyn Cobbo collected a hat-trick of tries, prop Payne Haas led from the front, Corey Oates ran with purpose in his 200th game, while Reece Walsh had his classy attacking game on show with a hand in three tries and one of his own.

Brisbane were without skipper Adam Reynolds (calf) and lock Pat Carrigan (foot) but started the game brightly when Walsh floated a lovely long pass to Cobbo for his opening try in the right corner in the 4th minute.

The home side capitalised on an extended period of possession on the Broncos line to take the lead 6-4 through a converted try to Matt Frawley in the 17th minute.

The Broncos found some ball control for next 10 minutes and were eventually rewarded when Walsh again created a try with a lovely lofted pass that hit Kotoni Staggs on the charge to score.

Staggs converted his own try from out wide on the right and it was 10-6 to the visitors after 27 minutes.

But again an error proved costly for Brisbane soon after when a fumble carrying the ball back off their line was turned into a try to the Raiders through Nick Cotric and it was locked up at 10-10 in the 31st minute.

Then it was a Canberra error from the kickoff that saw Brisbane gifted possession and halfback Ezra Mam stepped his way through the big Raiders forwards for a converted try.

Staggs converted and it was a 16-10 lead to the Broncos in the 35th minute before the home team levelled things up going into halftime with a converted try to Hudson Young.

Canberra edged ahead through a Jamal Fogarty penalty goal to start the second half before the game settled into a real arm wrestle with both teams struggling to gain the upper hand.

It took another piece of Walsh sparkle on the right edge to push Brisbane back in front, using his speed and pass to put Staggs into the clear, with Cobbo doing well to finish off in the right corner for a 20-18 advantage in the 61st minute.

The Raiders were reduced to 12 men for 10 minutes when Jordan Rapana was sin-binned and Brisbane exploited that advantage perfectly when Cobbo was released on a long run to the line down the right for his hat-trick of tries to extend the lead to 24-18 in the 67th minute.

Walsh then put the game beyond doubt when he cooly slotted a field goal with five minutes to play – and duly put some icing on the cake when he used his rapid acceleration to get on the outside of the Raiders’ defence for a well-deserved try in the dying moments.