ROUND 23
Sunday 14 Aug 2005
3:00PM

Scorers:
BRISBANE BRONCOS 4
Tries: J Hodges
Goals: B Seymour 0/1
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 24
Tries: T Barrett, C Payne, C Best, B Hornby
Goals: W Naiqama 0/1, M Ennis 4/4

Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 48,995
Referee: Tim Mander
Half Time: Dragons 6-0

Live commentary:

0 min: We have kick-off at Suncorp, a Grand Final feel about this game today.

3 min: NEWS
Bad news early for Brisbane as Lockyer winces in pain to his shoulder. Stays on field however, a sigh of relief amongst the Bronco faithful.
0 all.

6 min: NEWS
Bott bombs a shot at a Brisbane try early. Dragons now with the ball on the attack. Gasnier runs the ball close to the Broncos line. Sensational game from both sides so far. Dragons penalty now 10m from Broncos line.
0 all.

7 min: MISSED PENALTY GOAL
Naiqama shoots for goal but misses. Dragons on the attack still.
0 all.

9 min: NEWS
The set wasted by a heavy grubber kick which goes dead. Broncos out of jail for now.
0 all.

14th min: NEWS
Tension is high in the match. Both sides using their sets well but the defence is right on the button. Still no score in the game

18th min: NEWS
A knock on by the Dragons fullback Greenshields, 10 metres out from the Broncos line allows the home side a great scoring opportunity. Once again outstanding defence by the Dragons nullifies any points on the board

24th min: NEWS
Unbelievable match with end to end attack by both sides. The scrambling defence on display is brilliant by the two teams. No score in the match

29th min: NEWS
Niggle between Gasnier and Parker. Mander decides to award a penalty to the Dragons shooing off the touch judges. They come very close to scoring but once more the defence is rock solid and committed

32nd min: TRY - DRAGONS
Finally the deadlock in the scoreline is broken. The Dragons have been slowly building to this. Barrett runs through a gap, wrong foots Hunt and runs 60 metres to score. Ennis converts. Dragons 6-0

38th min: NO TRY - BRONCOS
Fifth tackle option and Stagg looked to have scored for the Broncos but is called up short. Dragons hold onto their lead, 6-0

HALFTIME: High intensity match with both sides giving it their all in the first half. 6-0 to the Dragons at the break

Second half underway..

45th min: NEWS
The pressure is on the Broncos with a couple of early errors in this half already

47th min: TRY - DRAGONS
The momentum has been with the Dragons since the break and they capitalise on it superbly. A line dropout in their favour and Payne on the last, stretches out to score. Ennis converts. Dragons 12-0

52nd min: NEWS
Cooper (Dragons) very close to scoring out wide but a try saving tackle by Hodges allows a counter attack by the Broncos. Score remains 12-0 to the Dragons

54th min: NO TRY - BRONCOS
The Broncos finally look to have points in the match but the last pass by Thorn to Bott was ruled forward much to the disgust of the Broncos fans

58th min: NEWS
A line drop out for the Broncos and Civoniceva was ruled to have dropped the ball on the first tackle. The replay clearly shows Ennis popped the ball out, unlucky for the Broncos. Dragons lead 12-0

65th min: TRY - BRONCOS
Hodges gets his side finally on the scoreboard with a richly deserved try to the Broncos centre. A well directed pass by Lockyer to Hodges allows the centre over out wide. Seymour with a tough conversion, misses the extra points. Dragons 12-4

68th min: TRY - DRAGONS
The Dragons hit back straight away with Best over under the posts. A missed tackle by Lockyer on Naiqama allows to Dragons winger to run 40 metres and set up the try perfectly for Best. Ennis converts from out in front. Dragons 18-4

71st min: NEWS
The crowd figure just announced at an outstanding 48,995. Great stuff. Lockyer off the field with a hamstring injury

77th min: TRY - DRAGONS
The Dragons finishing the game on fire. A scrum 20 metres out from their line gives them excellent field position. Hornby right on the line, does a backward flip and plants the ball firmly on the ground. Ennis from out in front, converts. Dragons 24-4

FULLTIME: A solid second half effort by the Dragons shows they are real final contenders as they defeated the Broncos by 24-4

-----------------------------------------
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - L Bailey (Dragons)
2 - C Greenshields (Dragons)
1 - T Barrett (Dragons)
-----------------------------------------