Broncos’ double hit in Roosters flogging
THE Broncos endured humiliation on the field and could soon have trouble off it as Anthony Seibold’s first season as the club’s coach went from bad to worse.
Rising forward Tevita Pangai was condemned by former champion halfbacks Johnathan Thurston and Andrew Johns for a late tackle on Roosters playmaker Cooper Cronk which was put on report in the 36-4 loss to the premiers at the SCG.
Trailing 22-0 at halftime, the Broncos had only 32 per cent of possession to that point and made 100 tackles more than the Roosters’ 84.
Winning one of their opening four matches is at the low end of expectations in Seibold’s first year, even considering a testing draw.
The Broncos will have to scrap a win or two together while they find some consistent drive in the forwards and structure in their playmaking after another evening on the back foot for Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima.
The tiring Brisbane players ended up with the atrocious 35 missed tackles, five more than the season average which had made them statistically the worst defensive side. Centre Joseph Manu’s 78th minute try, a third from a Roosters kick which Brisbane wingers could not control, meant the margin eclipsed the Tricolours’ previous biggest win over the Broncos, 28-0 in 2000.
The premiers detected the smell of blood and ruthlessly won the battle in the forwards in breathtaking fashion even though their tearaway prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and tireless hooker Jake Friend are both out injured.
The Broncos can welcome Payne Haas into their pack from a club-imposed fourweek suspension against Wests Tigers on Thursday night, but will wait to see the result of a report on Pangai
Cronk was replaced early in the second half with a back injury suffered from the impact of Pangai’s hit after he had passed the ball.
“It was a cheap shot … dog shot,’’ Johns said on Channel 9 commentary.
“You cannot do it with force like that. Someone will get seriously injured.’’
Thurston, who conducted a crusade against late shots on playmakers late in his career, said the practice needed to be “stamped out”.
“You can see the whiplash with Cooper’s neck,” he said.