Dragons account for Broncos in Brisbane
Written by: Ian Ritchie
9/9/06

LINK TO MATCH PICS - CLICK HERE

Finals 2006 Week 1
Brisbane Broncos 4 v St George Illawarra Dragons 20
at Suncorp Stadium
Referee: Paul Simpkins
Crowd: 50,387

Match Summary:
The St George Illawarra Dragons have claimed a memorable 20-4 victory over the Brisbane Broncos at a packed Suncorp Stadium tonight. The Dragons led 10-4 after an entertaining first half.

The Dragons opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a try to Clint Greenshields after spreading the ball wide to Wes Naiqama. The Dragons had already threatened in the same manner earlier in the game. Aaron Gorrell missed the conversion and it was 4-0. The Dragons extended their lead to 10-0 after Aaron Gorrell dived over from dummy half after 23 minutes. The Dragons were denied another try five minutes later after Ben Creagh was ruled to have interfered with Justin Hodges while Hodges was attempting to take a bomb. The Broncos got one back in the 33rd minute off some Hodges magic, as he beat a defender and offloaded to Darius Boyd who scored in the corner.

There was one theme to the second half – the Broncos blowing attacking opportunity after attacking opportunity. Luke Bailey scored a raging try five minutes into the half to up the score to 16-4. The match was all but sealed on 54 minutes when Matt Cooper scored an unconverted try in the corner to put the Dragons up 20-4. The Broncos had many attacking opportunities afterwards, but failed to capitalise on any of them – the best chance saw Hodges get across the line, but he dropped the ball in putting it down.

The result guarantees the Dragons make it through to the next week of the finals, while the Broncos will sweat on the Canterbury/Canberra and Melbourne/Parramatta clashes. The result leaves Manly in all sorts of trouble, as they only need one upset to be knocked out unluckily.

Scorers:
Brisbane Broncos: 4
Tries: Darius Boyd
Goals: Corey Parker 0/1
St George Illawarra Dragons: 20
Tries: Luke Bailey, Matt Cooper, Aaron Gorrell, Clint Greenshields
Goals: Aaron Gorrell 2/3, Mathew Head 0/1

By the Clock:
Hello from Suncorp Stadium. Yet another 3rd vs 6th finals match coming from Suncorp Stadium.

Several changes in the lineups tonight. The Broncos have lost Australian fullback Karmicheal Hunt to an injury, and bring Tame Tupou onto the wing. Head is onto the bench from the Dragons, Isemonger drops off the bench. Timmins moves to lock and Creagh is dropped to the bench.

Both teams have taken to the field. Huge crowd in tonight.

1 min: The Dragons kick off!

3 min: The Dragons let a bomb bounce, the Broncos recover the ball but get wrapped up.

5 min: The Dragons go on attack after some enterprising play, but lose the ball.

6 min: The Broncos bomb Naiqama, and he defuses it comfortably.

7 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons spin the ball wide and expose a Broncos overlap, Naiqama runs down the sideline and throws a suspicious looking forward pass to Greenshields who scores 10 in from the sideline. Gorrell misses the goal.
Dragons 4-0

14 min: The Dragons throw another two suspicious looking passes while coming out of their own end.

15 min: The Dragons put up a bomb, they throw it around after it bounces and a bad pass goes to Hodges who breaks away. Morris runs Hodges down, but Hodges gets away, and Jason Ryles ends up taking Hodges into touch, fantastic desperation.

19 min: Barrett puts in a good kick and finds touch 10 out from the Broncos line. The Dragons looking the better side at the moment.

20 min: The Dragons run the ball on the last tackle, Bickerstaff makes a break and puts in a kick for Naiqama who is beaten to the ball by Boyd.

22 min: The Broncos spill a bomb on the Dragons go hot on attack.

23 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
Poore is tackled inches out from the line. Gorrell picks the ball up from dummy half and dummies to pass right, and he dives over to score just to the right of the posts. Gorrell converts his own try.
Dragons 10-0

27 min: The Broncos bomb Brett Morris, he takes the ball and makes a half break.

28 min: VIDEO REF - for a Dragons try...

28 min: NO TRY - Dragons
The Dragons put up a bomb, it is recovered by the Dragons and Wicks claims a try under the posts. Creagh is ruled to have interfered with Hodges trying to catch the ball.

31 min: Lockyer puts in a kick, it hits the posts and Greenshields loses the ball forward, leaving Gasnier in an offside position to dive on the ball, and the Broncos get a penalty.

33 min: TRY Brisbane Broncos
Off the back of the penalty the Broncos go right. Lockyer offloads to Hodges who gets around his defender and offloads to Boyd who dives over in the corner. Parker misses.
Dragons 10-4

37 min: The Broncos get a penalty and will go back onto attack.

38 min: The Broncos lose the ball while on attack.

39 min: Bailey gets put into a gap, he breaks away and kicks ahead, but it goes too deep.

HALF TIME: And the Dragons have dominated the Broncos and lead 10-4.

Back on the field for the second half.

40 min: Back underway at Suncorp!

45 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
Bailey steams onto an offload and races away to crash over under the posts. Gorrell converts.
Dragons 16-4

49 min: Some reasonable defence from the Broncos forces Greenshields into touch.

50 min: VIDEO REF - For a Broncos try...

50 min: NO TRY - Broncos
Greenshields loses the ball coming out of the ingoal and concedes a drop out.

51 min: Tate drops the ball while the Broncos are hot on attack.

53 min: Tate loses the ball trying to play it and the Dragons will go onto attack.

54 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons spread the ball wide to Cooper who runs right past the defenders and scores in the corner. Head misses the goal, but this could be game over.
Dragons 20-4

60 min: Lockyer is trapped on the last tackle and the Broncos waste an attacking opportunity.

61 min: The Dragons go close to scoring again.

63 min: VIDEO REF - For a Broncos try...

63 min: NO TRY - Broncos
Hodges puts on a great move to score in the corner, only he loses the ball in putting it down. Really dreadful play.

66 min: The Broncos put in another poor kick on the last tackle.

68 min: Lockyer puts in a clueless bomb on the last tackle, it looks as though the Broncos have given up.

70 min: Hodges is wrapped up on the last tackle.

72 min: Parker puts in a kick off the ground from a poor pass, and the Broncos are penalised for offside from the kick.

75 min: Greenshields cleans up a Broncos grubber for a line drop out.

77 min: Civoniceva loses the ball inside the Dragons 10, more or less summing up the Broncos night.

79 min: The Dragons lose the ball trying to spread it wide.

FULL TIME: The Dragons have claimed a memorable 20-4 victory over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
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Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Matt Cooper (Dragons)
2 - Luke Bailey (Dragons)
1 - Jason Ryles (Dragons)
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