Live: Broncos hit top gear to dominate wasteful Warriors

A great trysaver on Walsh saves the Warriors bacon, then a penalty puts them on the attack. Harris-Tavita puts a kick in, it bounces off a series of Broncos and the kicker picks it up and knocks it on. First breach from Brisbane though, so the Warriors have another chance.

They run it right, Metcalf holds up the pass well and it goes out to Tuivasa-Sheck who scores in the corner. Nice footy from the Warriors, still a long way back but they’ve taken the first step.

Metcalf buries the kick from the sideline and it’s 18-6 Broncos. 

And off we go for the second half – and it’s another bad start for the Warriors, they give away a penalty on the fourth tackle of Brisbane’s first set.

Mixed news here for the Warriors – Egan has been cleared to return but Nicoll-Klokstad is done for the day after suffering a leg injury in that last challenge on Shibasaki. Martin will move from hooker to fullback.

Hetherington breaks through, he gets dragged down and on the next play a Reynolds kick is charged down but it lands straight in the hands of Willison! He’s pulled down ten out.

On the final play of the half the Broncos run left and Walsh tees up a delicious short ball for Shibasaki and he’s over! That feels like a very important try, after all the ball the Broncos had in the latter stages of the half another try really stamps their dominance.

Reynolds drills it and it’s 18-0 Broncos.

The Warriors shoot down a blindside but run out of room and Kosi is bundled into touch around halfway. Another chance for Brisbane.

Karapani takes a Reynolds bomb and throws it back inside and Shibasaki just knocks it on and the Warriors survive.

The Warriors hooker has gone for an HIA and has been replaced by Te Maire Martin.

A penalty gets the Warriors up Brisbane’s end and Metcalf puts up a bomb that’s tapped back by Ford and claimed by Harris-Tavita. The referee gives the try but I’m not sure he’s got it down.

We go to the Bunker and I think they’ll be denied here – great effort from Walsh and Hetherington to keep him up. Brisbane ball, ten out.

Ford gets penalised for taking out Piakura on a kick chase, very tough call, but Brisbane are on the attack again. A set restart gives them even more ball and a deflected grubber gives them even MORE ball and then ANOTHER set restart.

Holding Brisbane out here will be very tough but Walsh goes short to Piakura and he knocks it on. Big escape for the visitors, can that be a turning point?

Tuivasa-Sheck knocks down a Walsh pass and the Broncos will have a fresh set inside the Warriors half.

The Warriors don’t bind correctly at the scrum and the Broncos will take the two. Reynolds is about 35 out and right in front and he makes no mistake. Broncos lead 12-0. 

Piakura drops a loose pass on the exit set and the Warriors have a chance to reply. They need one for their own confidence if nothing else.

But they get their pattern wrong down the right with Harris-Tavita dropping the ball. They look a little out of sorts thus far.

The Warriors discipline has been really poor today, they’ve let Brisbane out of their own end with soft penalties twice already.

And the Broncos force them to pay the price with Mam throwing a sensational long pass that lands right on the chest of Karapani and he strolls over – they caught Kosi coming off his wing and Brisbane have their second.

Reynolds misses but it’s 10-0 Brisbane. 

A ruck penalty, a set restart and a dropped bomb gives the Warriors field position and a fresh set. Can they reply after Brisbane’s hot start?

They go right directly off the scrum and Kosi has a shot at the corner but Karapani bundles him into touch!

Nicoll-Klokstad gets caught at marker on the last and it’s easy work for Reynolds to slide a kick through and Staggs get there first for the opening try of the day! Lovely stuff from the experienced halfback.

Reynolds converts and it’s 6-0 Brisbane. 

Brisbane kick us off but they’ll have the first attacking chance after Niukore knocked on a pass from Egan on the third tackle of the game!

With the news that Kalyn Ponga is out of Origin III with a serious foot injury, the stakes today are even higher for Reece Walsh.

A big game could earn the Broncos flyer a Queensland recall for the decider – Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has his own chance to stake a case when the Dolphins play Souths later today (at the same ground, no less!) but one would imagine Walsh is in the box seat.

He’s been strong in his two matches since returning from injury while still not being close to full fitness. What’s he got today? I can’t wait to find out.

Speculation over the future of Selwyn Cobbo seems to have a resolution — for now.

The out-of-favour back will leave the Broncos at the end of this season and move to the Dolphins.

Cobbo has signed a one-year deal with the Redcliffe-based side.

Both sides are 1-17 as named on Tuesday.

You may have noticed in the draw, today’s NRL action starts and finishes at Lang Park.

The Broncos-Warriors clash is at 3pm (AEST), and the Dolphins-Rabbitohs match will be at 7:50pm.

This was not intended as a double header, but forces outside anyone’s control has forced this.

The Dolphins’ home game against South Sydney was supposed to happen in round one.

Fears over the impending landfall of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred forced the NRL to move this match to Sydney.

So, instead of hosting the Rabbitohs in round one, the Dolphins are the home team in round 17.