BRISBANE superstar Reece Walsh is expected to be sidelined for a month after he suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone in his 100th first grade game
Walsh scored the first try of a 26-12 derby win over Gold Coast at CBUS Super Stadium and was narrowly denied a second before being forced off with a head knock.
It’s a big name casualty list for the premiers with utility Ben Hunt (knee) out six to eight weeks and captain Adam Reynolds (adductor) sideline for one game.
The club said in a statement: “The Brisbane Broncos can confirm Reece Walsh suffered a fractured cheekbone in Friday night’s win over the Gold Coast Titans at CBUS Super Stadium.
“He will undergo surgery today, with an expected recovery time of approximately four to six weeks.”
At different times during the match Walsh and Gold Coast fell victim to the metaphorical rollercoaster that is so often wheeled out during rugby derbies.
Before halftime, Walsh would be denied a 95-metre screamer after putting a foot into touch 60 metres downfield and then be forced out of the game with concussion.
Midway through the second half, it was the Titans turn.
AJ Brimson was over for a try that looked set to narrow the margin to a single score. But referee Gerard Sutton ruled the final pass to be forward – something not apparent on the replay.
And within 60 seconds Jesse Arthars had scored at the other end to pretty much assure the premiers of victory. They coasted from there to a 26-12 win.
“It’s frustrating,” Gold Coast coach Josh Hannay said of the forward pass ruling.
“It’s a hard game, right? And you’ve got to work hard to earn your opportunities and when you earn your opportunities and you ice it, you ice that opportunity and it gets taken away, it’s frustrating.
“It’s frustrating for the players. You’ve got to understand the psyche in that moment, it’s like ‘yep, reward for effort’ and it’s taken away from you and straight away you’ve got to try and brush that.
“And we just didn’t. I’m disappointed for the spectacle of the game, it probably changed the trajectory of the game.”
BRISBANE 26 (Walsh Willison Shibasaki Arthars Mam tries Reynolds 2 Staggs goals) beat GOLD COAST 12 (Fifita 2 tries Campbell 2 goals) at CBUS Super Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton.
Teams:
GC: Keano Kini; Sealetili Faeamani, Joji Fifita, AJ Brimson, Phllip Sami; Lachlan Ilias, Jayden Campbell; Klese Haas, Sam Verrills, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Aaram Hau, Bean Fermour, Chris Randall. Res: Curtis Morin, Cooper Bai, Mo Fotuaika, Oliver Pascoe.
BRISBANE: Reece Walsh; Deine Mariner, Kotoni Staggs, Gehamat Shibasaki, Jesse Arthars; Ezra Mam, Adam Reynolds (c); Corey Jensen, Cory Paix, Payne Haasm Brendan Piakura, Jordan Riki, Pat Carrigan. Res: Ben Hunt, Xavier Willison, Ben Talty, Antonio Verhoeven.
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