Broncos stun defending premiers in Round 1 thriller
Soni Luke #SoniLuke
The Brisbane Broncos have produced a stunning upset to beat the defending premiers 13-12 at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night.
Back-to-back tries by young gun Herbie Farnworth in the opening half put the visitors out to an early lead and a 70-minute field goal by skipper Adam Reynolds handed the Broncos their first win at Penrith since 2009.
It was the defending premiers who were first to open their 2023 campaign with a spectacular team try from beyond halfway.
Dylan Edwards, Nathan Cleary and Liam Martin all had a hand in the right-side shift before Stephen Crichton raced away to touch down in the southern corner and hand Cleary his 500th goal.
Come the 17th minute and the visitors hit back through centre Herbie Farnworth who stepped around Crichton, who only had eyes for an intercept, and crash his way over the line to level the scores.
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Herbie levels it up
Just two minutes later and it was Farnworth again who found himself in a footrace with Panthers winger Brian To’o and managed to get his hands on the ball first to go back-to-back for Brisbane and put Broncos in front 12-6.
Martin and new recruit Luke Garner both crossed the line before halftime but were unable to capitalise through errors and the visitors went into the break with a six-point lead over the reigning premiers.
The game developed into an arm wrestle in the second half with both sides unable to add to the scoreline until the 70th minute when Broncos’ skipper Adam Reynolds slotted a field goal with ten minutes to play to hand his side a seven-point lead.
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Reynolds as cool as you like
Come the 72nd minute and Penrith missed another opportunity to reduce the deficit with premiership winning five-eighth Jarome Luai putting the ball down just short of the goal line.
With less than four minutes to play, Panthers hooker Soni Luke brought Penrith back within reach when he burrowed over the line from dummy half. Cleary converted for 13-12.
Handed field possession off the kick off, Cleary then had a shot at field goal to level the scores but the ball fell short and the Broncos held on to beat the two-time defending premiers by a single point.
Match Snapshot
Play of the Game
The Broncos blew the game wide open when Billy Walters found five-eighth Ezra Mam, who stepped around Penrith skipper Nathan Cleary and put his boot to the ball. After scoring just four minutes earlier, centre Herbie Farnworth found himself in a foot race with Penrith winger Brian To’o and edged in foront to plant the ball down with one hand and put his side in the lead.
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Farnworth shocks the champs
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NRL Press Conference: Panthers v Broncos – Round 1, 2023
What’s Next
Penrith are on home turf again in Round 2 when they host the Rabbitohs. Sparks will no doubt be flying at BlueBet Stadium as South Sydney look to overcome the side that ended their season in last year’s semi-finals.
While the Broncos are set to host the Cowboys in a cross-town derby at Suncorp Stadium. Young gun Reece Walsh looks set to be available after sustaining a facial fracture in the Bronco’s Pre-season Challenge.