Payne Haas was denied what would have been an amazing attempt to scored what was an excellent higher one anyway as Brisbane’s star prop powered his crew to a 26-16 victory over an improved Cowboys on Friday evening.
Haas offered the brawn and captain Adam Reynolds introduced the brains because the Broncos bounced again from their shock loss to Canberra in handing North Queensland a hat-trick of losses to start out their marketing campaign.
The towering prop tallied a game-high 205 operating metres from 22 hit-ups to go together with his two line breaks and one help.
Entrance-rowers aren’t normally thought-about Dally M Medal candidates however Haas may stroll away with the sport’s prime particular person honour in 2025 primarily based on his dominant early-season returns.
Earlier within the evening, the Warriors rallied to attain two late tries in operating down the Roosters 14-6 at Go Media Stadium.
Roosters hooker Connor Watson copped a concussion and Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck suffered a hamstring harm because the hosts made it back-to-back wins after they have been vanquished in Vegas by the Raiders.
1. Haas rides roughshod over one and all
The primary half was a sport of two halves, or the primary two quarters of the match in totality. Anyway, the Cowboys dominated the opening 20 minutes however couldn’t convert their mountain of possession and discipline place into factors.
A Reece Walsh 40/20 kick hauled the Broncos up the cash finish and so they cashed in when Adam Reynolds grubbered for Jack Goswieski.
Reynolds practically repeated the dose for Selwyn Cobbo however the goalpost intervened so the veteran halfback ran the ball to rack up the house crew’s subsequent factors.
He created a break for Gehamat Shibasaki in his personal half when John Bateman made a feeble sort out try and the identical Cowboys ahead was once more clutching at skinny air as Reynolds ran previous him on his personal line on the following play.
Determined to keep away from a 3rd straight loss, the Cowboys fired up after the break to place first factors on when Griffin Neame bagged a uncommon attempt when Brisbane didn’t defuse a bomb.
They usually equalised at 12 apiece halfway by the second stanza when Murray Taulagi planted the Steeden within the nook simply minutes after fumbling an try to take action off a grubber.
Payne Haas pushes away Scott Drinkwater. (Picture by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Photographs)
Reynolds and Walsh mixed to offer a saloon passage to the road for Jesse Arthars earlier than the skipper prolonged the margin to eight from a excessive sort out penalty.
Haas thundered by the tiring defence, together with a stationary Jason Taumalolo and an detached Scott Drinkwater to ice the victory earlier than a late Jaxon Purdue comfort attempt.
“Among the nice front-rowers within the historical past of the sport deserved their place however none of them may run like that,” Panthers legend Greg Alexander stated on Fox League. “Some have been athletic however not like that. He’s received all the things.”
Former Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson added: “It’s unfair. He jogs my memory of once I performed beneath 9s and also you’d simply give it to the most important, quickest participant on the sphere.
“He simply bullied the opposition for 80 minutes.”
2. Cowboys fireplace up however fall flat
This was simply their finest efficiency of the younger season. However that’s not saying a lot after the woeful efforts they put in as they copped pastings from Manly and Cronulla within the opening fortnight.
With the strain ramping up on coach Todd Payten, his gamers rolled up their sleeves, which is an indication that they haven’t given up – essential for a coach on the recent seat.
However they misplaced and are actually 0-3 and hopes of repeating final season’s journey to the finals after ending fifth are fading faster than curtains in North Queensland throughout daylight financial savings.
Regardless of improved defensive utility, they nonetheless conceded seven line breaks – higher than the mixed 21 from their first two losses however nonetheless means too many.
3. Walsh miles behind Ponga in Maroons race
Queensland coach Billy Slater indicated earlier this week on his podcast that it’s going to be powerful to decide on a fullback come Origin time.
That’s as a result of Newcastle ace Kalyn Ponga is likely one of the type gamers within the NRL and Reece Walsh’s begin to 2025 has been, nicely, not formidable in any respect.
Even of their opening-round win over the Roosters he was under his finest and final week in opposition to Canberra and this time round in opposition to the Cowboys, he was pushing passes and making dealing with errors worse by making a gift of dopey penalties.
There may be in fact an extended method to go between now and Origin time and harm might drive Slater’s hand both means but when this development continues it is going to be a simple selection for the Maroons selectors.
4. Chanel No.6 comes up smelling like roses
The Warriors had the higher hand for the primary hour of their conflict with the Roosters at Go Media Stadium however after buying and selling tries to Naufahu Whyte and Ali Leiataua, the guests seemed like they have been going to cling to a 6-4 lead till the ultimate siren.
Warriors centre Adam Pompey appeared sure to get his crew in entrance when he reached out to attain within the nook however Roosters skipper James Tedesco slid throughout within the nick of time to forestall him from touching down.
After an incisive run from winger Taine Tuaupiki, five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita produced a bit of particular person brilliance to loft a excessive kick and regather by outleaping Tedesco for an 8-6 lead.
Leiataua continued his red-hot begin to the season when he completed off a right-side raid by dummying over to seal the victory within the seventieth minute.
It was not a fairly sport in any sense of the phrase – Roosters hooker Connor Watson was concussed within the first half and Warriors winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck limped off with a hamstring harm within the second.
Dropsy was a standard ailment with each groups catching the bug.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson stated he actually appreciated his crew’s angle however they didn’t play good with the ball when they need to have been closing out the match.
“We have been trying to find 12-4 when it was 6-4 and we must always have simply sat and been uncomfortable for a bit longer in order that was an actual lesson for us,” he stated.
“It was one we felt like received away.”
Warriors coach Andrew Webster was pleased with the best way his crew caught to their weapons.
“We wished to set the sport up late and are available excessive and that’s what we did,” he stated.
“Up to now there is a component of once we don’t rating, mentally we’re overwhelmed. For the time being once we don’t rating we’re prepared for the following set. Each time we do this we’re simply placing one other nail within the coffin for them.”
5. No-try of the Yr occasions two
Roosters centre Mark Nawaqanitawase and Broncos prop Payne Haas every claimed four-pointers which might have been sensational efforts on Friday evening on both aspect of the Tasman Sea.
Nawaqanitawase sprinted into the clear down the left edge in opposition to the Warriors, chipped forward and regathered as he crossed the road however juggled the bouncing ball and by the point he planted it on the slippery turf, he had slid over the dead-ball line.
Haas made his method to the stripe in a completely totally different style – bashing and barging by defenders however was grassed simply in need of the road from behind by Reece Robson and was appropriately dominated to have made a double motion.
Oh, nicely – maybe Robson will get sort out of the 12 months as a substitute. And Haas may nonetheless finish with the attempt award for his late particular person effort.
The Kick: Taking a dive stays an issue
In case you are not sure about whether or not accidents are being faked for penalties, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is the newest participant to both be caught pink handed or the beneficiary of a outstanding restoration.
In the course of the second half in Auckland, he was unable to play the ball after a two-man sort out from the Roosters with one of many defenders by chance exerting strain on the again of his head as they wrestled him to the bottom.
CNK was incapacitated, clutching at his neck and couldn’t probably play on, coincidentally for the exact period of time it took the referee to examine the incident with the Bunker and declare no penalty was warranted.
He then performed the ball and was one way or the other in a position to take the following hit-up on the next play, hurtling headlong into the enamel of the defensive position.
A crusher sort out is one the place a defender grabs a ball runner and intentionally locations their physique weight on the again of their neck or head. It’s an insidious observe which must be penalised strongly if it ever occurs nevertheless it seems the vast majority of tackles that fall into this class are accidents and gamers are coerced to remain down in the event that they assume there’s an opportunity to earn their crew an unfair benefit.
