The Broncos have shot out to a 18-4 lead over the Melbourne Storm, who have lost star halfback Jahrome Hughes to a suspected broken wrist.
Hughes left the field in the 24th minute clutching at his wristin a major blow for the 30-year-old, who was in his return game from a shoulder injury that had sideline him for six weeks.
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MATCH CENTRE: Broncos vs Storm teams, scores, videos, updates
To make matters worse, the Storm now face a nervous wait on the availability of Nelson Asofa-Solomona after the towering prop was sin-binned and placed on report for a shoulder charge.
Asofa-Solomona wasn’t the only player binned with Brisbane’s Deine Mariner sent for 10 for a professional foul — but that didn’t rattle the Broncos, who extended their lead to 12-4 heading into half time.
Superstar fullback Reece Walsh set up that try with a clever pass to Piakura out of dummy-half in just one of his many big players in the opening 40 minutes.
Walsh — who had a dramatic week due to a controversial social media video — scored the opening try of the night and also came up with a brilliant one-on-one tackle on Xavier Coates.
“He’s turned up to play tonight,” Fox League’s Cooper Cronk said in commentary.
Walsh backed it up on the other side of the break with a 40/20 and his second try of the night in the space of a minute.
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TEAMS
Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Josiah Karapani 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Deine Mariner 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Billy Walters 7. Ben Hunt 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Ben Talty 17. Jaiyden Hunt. 18th man: 18. Delouise Hoeter
Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Grant Anderson 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 16. Tui Kamikamica 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Josh King 11. Ativalu Lisati 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 17. Joe Chan 18. Marion Seve 20. Jonah Pezet
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