Broncs find finals form
ANTHONY Milford is back. And maybe, just maybe, so are the Broncos.
Brisbane’s zip-zip man reprised his early-season magic last night as Milford produced a sizzling one-two punch to floor Parramatta and kickstart the Broncos’ finals charge.
A Corey Oates hat-trick headlined Brisbane’s 38-16 victory at Suncorp Stadium, but the win was equally significant because it heralded the revival of a man whose brilliance can deliver a Broncos premiership.
For the past 10 weeks, Milford had not made a single line-break.
But last night, the quicksilver five-eighth found his dancing feet to keep sixth-placed Brisbane within sight of the top four with an eight-try demolition of the strife-torn Eels.
Scores were locked 10-all after 36 tense minutes when Milford – the NRL’s most dominant player in the early rounds – turned the contest on its head.
In a five-minute blitz, Milford made a 50-metre bust to set-up a try for Oates 21 seconds before half-time, then produced a second-half solo try to stun the Eels.
Suddenly, Brisbane were clear at 20-10, and the Eels shot. Milford was in his element and soon the Broncos party hit top gear as Oates and debutant winger Jonus Pearson danced on Parramatta’s grave.
Oates sealed a fine game with his treble in the 57th minute, while Pearson celebrated his second try in the 66th minute after scoring Brisbane’s opener inside 11 minutes.
The triumph effectively seals Brisbane’s place in the finals but just as crucial was the contributions of several Broncos who have been under the pump in recent weeks.
While Milford was the headline act, Oates found some confidence after a difficult month and Ben Hunt’s 60th-minute solo try was the potent touch the out-of-form halfback craved.
The Broncos have now won consecutive games, setting up a clash on Thursday night with a Canterbury side they hope to dislodge from the top four.
Underlining their injury woes this season, the Broncos blooded their ninth debutant of the season when Pearson, 21, was called up to replace Lachlan Maranta.
Dubbed the next Jharal Yow Yeh, Pearson demonstrated why, scoring with just his second touch before using his strength to bury the Eels 14 minutes from time.
In 2006, Brisbane defied a five-game losing streak to charge to the premiership. A decade on, Milford could help pen a similar script.