Broncos hammered
Titles hopes hurt in sorry defeat to Dogs
THE bumbling Broncos have copped a brutal reality check after having their premiership credentials hammered in a 36-22 embarrassment to the battling Bulldogs.
After surging into top four contention in the past month, the Broncos came crashing back down to earth last night with a woeful performance at ANZ Stadium that raised serious questions about whether Brisbane have the mental strength to challenge for this year’s title.
With only four matches remaining in the regular season, the seventh-placed Broncos are at long odds to make the crucial top four after losing a game they should have won.
No team has won the NRL from outside the top four since the league’s creation in 1998 and while this year’s competition is as even as ever, the Broncos have struggled to find consistency.
If the Broncos are to win the premiership from outside the top four they will have to win four straight finals, something they have not managed to do this season.
After beating top-eight teams Penrith and Cronulla in recent weeks, the Broncos should have made light work of the lowly Bulldogs.
Instead, Brisbane turned up with the energy of a sloth and concentration of a toddler as they made 11 errors.
Five-eighth Anthony Milford, winger Corey Oates and boom forward Tevita Pangai Jr turned in their worst effort of the year and Jordan Kahu was hooked midway through the second half.
If not for a brilliant brace of tries, which could have easily been a hat-trick, to bench prop Korbin Sims, the score would have looked even more dire.