The Broncos thrashed the Rabbitohs 60-14 on the back of a Reece Walsh masterclass for their highest score in 14 years, but Xavier Willison suffered a broken arm at Suncorp Stadium.
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MATCH CENTRE: Broncos vs Rabbitohs teams, scores, videos, updates
Walsh had four try assists and a try, while Kotoni Staggs, Deine Mariner and Ezra Mam grabbed doubles in the 10 tries to two rout.
Kotoni Staggs put Selwyn Cobbo through a hole before he found Ezra Mam who passed back and forth to Reece Walsh to race away and score and give the Broncos the lead.
Mam was placed on report for high contact on Souths fullback Jye Gray.
Adam Reynolds put the ball on a dime for Jack Gosiewski to dive on a grubber to score the Broncos’ second.
Lewis Dodd put up a pinpoint cross-field kick for Bayleigh Bentley-Hape to produce a brilliant catch to score and get Souths on the board.
Walsh put Staggs through a hole as the Broncos scored a dagger just before the break.
However Tallis Duncan charged over on the stroke of half-time, but Souths’ second missed goal of the night made it 18-8 at the interval.
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A costly error from Jacob Host allowed Selwyn Cobbo to pounce and race away to score a 50-metre try against the run of play.
In a big blow for the Broncos prop Xavier Willison suffered a suspected broken forearm.
Walsh produced some magic quick hands to put Deine Mariner over for another try as the Broncos looked to run away with it.
Ben Talty charged over from close range off a pass from Billy Walters as the Broncos threatened a cricket score.
Mariner finished off a slick Broncos raid to dive over in the corner for his second as the Broncos extended their lead.
Mariner turned provider to put Staggs over for his double as the Broncos pushed towards a half century.
Mam sliced through a gaping hole to score a double of his own as the Broncos passed 50.
Lachlan Hubner scored a consolation try for Souths after Ashton Ward saved a try at the other end with a try-saving tackle on Jordan Riki.
Patrick Carrigan put Walsh over for a late try to cap a big win for the Broncos in style on another sad night for the Rabbitohs.
WALSH ANSWERS CRITICS IN BOUNCE BACK GAME
Reece Walsh came bounced back from one of his worst performances of the season to produce one of his best in the thrashing of the Rabbitohs.
Walsh’s run metres were down with just 63 from eight runs, but everything he touched turned to gold in a masterclass display.
Walsh finished with four tackle busts, an offload, two linebreaks, four linebreak assists and four try assists to go with the final try of the night.
Ezra Mam was also brilliant with 209 run metres, four tackle busts, two linebreaks and a classy double in a superb display.
With Walsh and Mam in their team and firing the Broncos will be very hard to beat in the finals and they could push into the top four after improving their points differential and the Warriors lost.
WILLISON INJURY SOURS HISTORIC WIN
The Broncos suffered a big blow with Xavier Willison breaking his forearm in a tackle on Jai Arrow in the second half.
Willison has been one of the Broncos’ best and most consistent forwards all season and his versatility has allowed Michael Maguire to play him in the middle and on the edge.
The incident in the 52nd minute saw Willison break his arm as he dived for a low tackle with his season now in doubt.
Willison will prove difficult to replace for the Broncos if he fails to return again in 2025.
RABBITOHS INJURY WOES CONTINUE AS SPOON BECOMES REALITY
Souths’ injury woes continued with hooker Ryan Gray going off early in the first half and he did not return.
A week after he made 63 tackles, Gray was off after making just one run and five tackles before he succumbed to his injury.
The fact Wayne Bennett had to play winger Tyrone Munro on the bench sums up how dire Souths’ season has become due to their ever growing casualty ward.
Bennett will struggle to field a team next week and Souths will be hoping the off-season comes soon, so they can put this horror year behind them.
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TEAMS
Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Xavier Willison 9. Ben Hunt 16. Corey Jensen 17. Jack Gosiewski 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Billy Walters 15. Kobe Hetherington 18. Tyson Smoothy 20. Ben Talty. 18th man: 19. Jesse Arthars
Rabbitohs team: 1. Jye Gray 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Tallis Duncan 5. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 19. Lewis Dodd 17. Ashton Ward 8. Jai Arrow 9. Ryan Gray 10. Sean Keppie 11. Euan Aitken 12. Jacob Host 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Siliva Havili 15. Liam Le Blanc 16. Thomas Fletcher 20. Tyrone Munro 18th man: 18. Peter Mamouzelos
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