PRESSURE and speculation surrounding Brisbane and their coach Michael Maguire is set to intensify after the premiers remained winless a fortnight into the new season.
The Broncos looked set to win in a canter with a dominant display in the opening exchanges against Parramatta but somehow found themselves down by two by halftime at Suncorp Stadium.
During a helter skelter final 15 minutes, Reece Walsh scored an ebullient kick-and-chase try which looked to have won the game.
But in the south-eastern corner, Parramatta winger Sean Russell picked up the ball from from the turf a metre out and grounded it despite the defence bearing down on him.
Mitchell Moses landed a booming sideline conversion to edge the Eels in front.
And finally it was Broncos-bound Jonah Pezet who put it beyond doubt in the final 90 seconds by chasing a kick into the southern in-goal area.
Pezet – Adam Reynolds’ replacement at Red Hill next year – was involved in at least three other Eels tries and was much better in defence than the previous week’s match against Melbourne – but coach Jason Ryles was reluctant to praise him.
“He’s a work in progress and we knew that when he came to the club,” said Ryles. “He’s 20 games into his career.”
Midway through the first half, Parramatta trailed 20-6 and looked like being lapped. By halftime they had hit the lead, 22-20.
“My only expectation tonight is that we fought hard and we stayed in the contest every play,” said Ryles.
“The most pleasing for me above the result is … that’s our footy club. You play for Parramatta and you fight for every play and you test every play.
“The character that was shown by the group and the fight – that’s what a Parramatta player looks like.”:
Broncos two-try centre Kotoni Staggs was placed on report for a spear tackle. Half Reynolds went off with a rib injury late. He said the injury was “alright” and he would have it checked over the weekend.
Maguire said: “I know this group are working in the background and if they stick at it, they’ll find their way to where they’re going and we showed that for the first 30 minutes.”
Reynolds put the defeat down to “a lock of concentration, a bit of ill-discipline”.
PARRAMATTA 40 (Tuilagi 2 Iongi 2 Smith Russell Pezet tries Moses 6 goals) beat BRISBANE 32 (Staggs 2 Walsh 2 Haas tries Reynolds 6 goals) at Suncorp Stadium.
Embed from Getty Images
Teams:
BRISBANE: Reece Walsh; Josiah Karapani, Kotoni Staggs, Gehemet Shibasaki, Deine Mariner; Ezra Mam, Adam Reynolds (c); Res: Ben Hunt, Xavier Willison, Ben Talty, Aublix Tawa, Grant Anderson, Jaiyden Hunt.
PARRAMATTA: Isaiah Iongi; Bailey Simonsson, Sean Russell, Jordan Samrani, Josh Addo-Carr; Jonah Pezet, Mitchell Moses (c); Jack Williams, Ryley Smith, Junior Paulo, Kelma Tuilagi, Kitioni Kautoga, Jack De Belin. Res: Dylan Walker, Sam Tuilvaiti, Matt Doorey, Tallyn De Silva, Charlie Guymer, Joash Papali’i.
Referee: Wyatt Raymond.
