BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 11: Adam Reynolds and Payne Haas of the Broncos are seen on the sideline after being injured during the round 14 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Canberra Raiders at Suncorp Stadium, on June 11, 2022, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Brisbane has been left to count the cost of their 53-6 loss against Parramatta on Thursday night with each of Brenko Lee, Kobe Hetherington, Thomas Flegler and Adam Reynolds behind the eight ball going into the final round.
While Brisbane is clinging to the ladder’s eighth rung and an ensuing finals berth, with the Raiders humming of late, the Red Hill side is faced with a must-win clash next against the Dragons next Saturday evening.
Having coughed up 50 points to the electric Eels at Lang Park to start the penultimate weekend of home and away footy, history suggests that the Broncos’ premiership hopes are dead in the water, as no side has ever conceded a half-century and scaled the competition’s summit in the same season.
Though the Dragons’ September dreams have fallen by the wayside, Anthony Griffin’s weyr will have designs on consigning the Broncos to the same fate.
And with Reynolds and company facing an uphill battle to make the convoy to Kogarah, you could forgive head coach Kevin Walters for doubling up on his dose of paracetamol.
Reynolds was ejected from his 250th first-grade appearance after failing his HIA, failing to make it to the quarter-hour mark during the dispiriting defeat.
The ex-Bunny was joined on the sidelines of Suncorp Stadium by Lee and Hetherington after the pair were removed following respective woes with a hamstring and a head knock.
A final blow remained for Walters and his withering stable when Flegler was sent to hospital after his neck was rattled during a tackle gone wrong on moustachioed Eels forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
The 23-year-old prop was discharged after scans confirmed little more than a soft tissue injury.
It is not yet known whether the Townsville native will be available to suit up during their all-important trek to the Harbour City.
All eyes from Red Hill will be centred on the fortunes of Ricky Stuart’s ‘Green Machine’ and their last fortnight of fixtures against Manly and Wests.
At present, Brisbane holds a two-point buffer over the Raiders, however, after conceding 9 tries in 80 minutes, the Broncos currently sit 1-point behind their chasing rivals on points differential.
Brisbane’s last finals appearance came during the 2019 NRL season, with the former powerhouses foisted with their first wooden spoon in 2020.
Source:: ZeroTackle
