Round 8
Brisbane Broncos 8 d. South Sydney Rabbitohs 4

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Broncos grind out victory over Souths
Fri May 4, 2007
Defending premiers Brisbane Broncos have returned to the winners circle edging out South Sydney 8-4 in a tough encounter at Suncorp Stadium tonight.

It was a clash that never lived up to any great heights as the Broncos couldn't finish off their opportunities and Souths kicking game was deplorable with the exception of one 40/20 kick by Joe Williams.

Darren Lockyer had an opportunity during the first half to open the scoring when Brisbane opted to go for penalty goal, but his attempt was wide of the posts.

Both sides bombed their chances in the first half with Justin Hodges stumbling into touch with the line wide open as Lockyer's pass wasn't the best directed.

With the scores gridlocked at nil-all in the final minute before the break Lockyer went for a long range attempt at drop goal with the shot falling short of the line.

First points came in the 46th minute when Brisbane got a penalty within easy kicking range and Lockyer had no hesitation in taking the easy points.

All the action occured in the final 10 minutes as the game opened up.

A huge hit by Greg Eastwood on Jeremy Smith put the Broncos in good field position and numbers outwide saw Darius Boyd crossover in the corner. Lockyer converted from the sideline for Brisbane to lead 8-0.

Shannon Hegarty crossed over for the Rabbitohs first try in the 79th minute when a kick ahead deflected off a Broncos player into the hands of Daniel Irvine who put Hegarty over in the corner. Nathan Merritt's rushed attempt at goal was wide of the mark.

Souths had 45 seconds to get 100m up the field and on the last play of the match threw the ball around at will with Hegarty finding space down the left wing and put in a well-timed grubber where Karmichael Hunt was too casual in the chase and John Sutton nearly stole the match out of no where. Sutton couldn't quite get a clean shot at the ball and the video replays ruled it was knocked on. Sutton in the process sustained an elbow injury in a double blow for Souths.

It's the second successive close loss for the Rabbitohs after leading the Warriors by eight points last week only to be run down on the bell by a Todd Byrne try.

Brisbane now have three wins from eight matches and tonight was their first victory at Suncorp Stadium after their previous two victories were against the Roosters and Knights away from home.

The match never lived up to any great heights, although it had far more meaning, passion and atmosphere than the farce on the night before.

What we saw tonight was the rise of Eastwood as a star of the future and he's going to be a great asset for the Broncos and Kiwis for many years to come.


Moon named at halfback as Civoniceva lines up for 200th match
Tue May 1, 2007
Youngster Joel Moon has been selected in the troubled Broncos halfback position as Petero Civoniceva lines up for his 200th first grade match against South Sydney on Friday night.

Moon will be the 4th halfback the Broncos have used this season to partner champion captain Darren Lockyer with Karmichael Hunt, Shane Perry and Shaun Berrigan having already been tried there.

Berrigan returns to hooker where he plays his best football and the position he played when he won the Clive Churchill Medal last year.

Civoniceva has been one of the great stalwarts in the modern game and sits behind Michael Hancock (274 games), Darren Lockyer (267), Allan Langer (258), Andrew Gee (255), Shane Webcke (254) and Kevin Walters (241) on the Broncos' all-time list.

Nick Emmett replaces the injured Brent Tate in the centres and Tonie Carroll returns on the bench with the inform Greg Eastwood retained at lock.

BRISBANE BRONCOS v CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
7:30pm, Friday, May 4, 2007

1 Karmichael Hunt
2 Steve Michaels
3 Nick Emmett
4 Justin Hodges
5 Darius Boyd
6 Darren Lockyer (c)
7 Joel Moon
8 Dane Carlaw
9 Shaun Berrigan
10 Petero Civoniceva
11 David Stagg
12 Brad Thorn
13 Greg Eastwood

Subs:
14 Tonie Carroll
15 Ben Hannant
16 Mick Ennis
17 Sam Thaiday

Tue May 1, 2007
• Souths unchanged for Broncos clash
  

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