U20s Round 19 - Broncos vs Knights

[Big Pete]

1. Matt Cooper 2. Mitch Andrews 3. Kyle Smith 4. Heath Gibbs 5. Kainoa Gudgeon 6. Kurtis Dark 7. Jack Johns 8. Cameron King 23. Tom Starling 10. Matt Croker 11. Henry Penn 12. Sam McIntyre 13. Zac Hosking 14. Hayden Loughrey 15. William Finau 16. Brodie Jones 17. Jayden Butterfield	1. Corey Allan 2. David Fauid 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehemat Shibasaki 5. Herbie Farnworth 6. Haydyn O'Hara 7. Gerome Burns 8. Payne Haas 9. Tyson Smoothy 10. Jai Whitbread 11. Brandon Russell 12. Keenan Palasia 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Eddie Blacker 15. Rory Ferguson 16. Ed Burns 17. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe
Coach: Todd Lowrie	Coach: Scott Tronc
Referees: Drew Oultram & Jake Sutherland Touch Judges: Mitchell Stone & Ben Teague	Date: Saturday, July 15 Venue: McDonald Jones Kick-Off: 1:15pm Broadcasters: Fox League

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Big Pete]

Spread the word, the Broncos U20s are on television.

Broadcast starts at 1:10pm. It's a golden opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow against quality opposition.

 

[Big Pete]

Broncos 1-17.

Knights welcome back their skipper in #23.

Game is underway.

 

[Big Pete]

Newcastle with the first opportunity after Carrigan was penalised for a second effort in the ruck.

Starling goes short to Hosking who is able to force an offload to Matt Croker who forces his way over through Allan and Haas.

6-0 Newcastle

8 gone.

 

[Big Pete]

Broncos with their first real opportunity and Allan kicks it on tackle 3.

Gudgeon comfortably takes the ball as the Knights work it off their line.

 

[Big Pete]

The kicking options so far have been ordinary from the Broncos.

Only O'Hara has been able to put the Knights under any pressure.

Penn comes up with another mistake, giving the Broncos another crack.

 

[Big Pete]

A better kick from Smoothy forces a goal line drop out but Burns drops it cold on Tackle 3.

 

[Big Pete]

Haas gets an arm free and puts Burns into space. Burns is cut down 10m out from the fullback as the Broncos go right. The ball eventually finds O'Hara who turns it back inside to Allan. Allan pours through a gap and tries to link up with his outside men but his basketball pass is knocked back by a Knights player and Newcastle come up with the ball.

 

[Big Pete]

Smoothy turns his back from marker and Starling runs right through the middle of the ruck. #3 Smith goes close but loses the ball in the tackle from Allan. The referee rules it was a Broncos knock on from the strip and Newcastle have another shot.

Fortunately for Brisbane, a bad pass from dummy half sees Dark put it down early in the tackle count.

That's a sight for sore eyes, Hodgo is on the park.

 

[Big Pete]

Broncos rumble through the middle, Smoothy close to the line turns it back to Haas and Payne is just too big too strong from there.

He's been good this afternoon Haas.

Burns converts.

6-all after 25.

 

[Big Pete]

Newcastle kick out on the full, and the Broncos are in again.

Broncos have the numbers down the right, so the ball goes wide, O'Hara double pumps, finds Russell who drags a defender to the line before spinning and planting the ball down.

Burns sprays it wide.

10-6 Broncos after 28.

 

[Big Pete]

O'Hara scores in the corner.

Gibbs forces a pass and it ends up finding a Broncos. Brisbane go right and O'Hara scores untouched in the corner.

Burns misses.

35 gone

Broncos 14-6

 

[Big Pete]

Half-Time

Brisbane Broncos 14 (Haas, Russell, O'Hara tries; Burns 1/3 goals) lead Newcastle Knights 6

Brisbane did well to repel the Knights at the death. Burns with the fumble from dummy half gave Newcastle a good opportunity but that fringe of Russell, O'Hara and Staggs were up to the task.

It's been a solid first half from the Broncos. They've kept it fairly simple, just rucking the ball up and capitilising on the Knights errors where they've presented themselves.

If they're going to win this, they'll need to retain the intensity and address their last tackle plays. They could also afford to play flatter, the Knights are reading the set-plays too easily and the backs and being given too much space.

 

[Big Pete]

Russell bags a double.

O'Hara puts up a bomb into space, Cooper looks to have it covered but pulls out at the last moment. The ball bounces for Russell and he scores untouched.

Broncos 20 lead Knights 4.

42 gone.

 

[Big Pete]

Broncos receive a fortuitous penalty and go right on the attack. Broncos go left and Allan finds Fauid with a beauty of a pass and he dots down in the corner.

Burns is down in back-play, looks like he hurt his shoulder.

O'Hara lines the kick up and misses.

Broncos 24 lead Knights 6.

46 gone.

 

[Big Pete]

Cooper spills the ball cold as the Knights have a golden opportunity.

Looks like Newcastle come up with another mistake, but the referee rules off the legs. Replays show the Knights were very fortunate.

Now Newcastle lose the ball deep inside their own half.

 

[Big Pete]

Staggs scores.

O'Hara with a quality pass puts Staggs into space and Kotoni scores a well earned try.

Staggs fails to convert his own try.

28-6 Broncos.

55 gone.

 

[Big Pete]

Newcastle finally score.

Bit unfortunate for the Broncos really.

They held the Knights out for consecutive sets, went on the counter-attack and were unlucky not to receive a penalty for a professional foul.

Newcastle capitilised though and a smart kick back on the inside sees Loughrey score.

Knights turn it over inside their own half, but Burns' last tackle kick isn't what it should be.

Broncos 28 lead Knights 12

65 gone.