The Roosters made a bold statement on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium with a commanding 40-18 victory over the Broncos, who suffered two significant injury setbacks.
Angus Crichton’s first-half double and Terrell May’s second-half brace were key contributors to the scoreboard damage. Captain James Tedesco led the charge brilliantly with 227 meters, two try assists, and nine tackle breaks.
While the defeat is concerning for coach Kevin Walters, the loss of skipper Adam Reynolds to a suspected long-term biceps injury is even more devastating. Reliable winger Jesse Arthars also faces an extended absence due to a broken jaw sustained in the first half.
The final scoreline belied what was a high-quality game, with the Roosters only pulling away in the final quarter. Brisbane had their fair share of bad luck with injuries.
Initially, the hosts made a strong start with Jordan Riki charging onto an Ezra Mam short ball for the first points. Joey Manu quickly responded for the Roosters with an offload from Dom Young.
After losing Arthars, the Roosters struck twice in 11 minutes through Angus Crichton, taking an 18-6 lead into halftime.
The injury woes deepened for Brisbane six minutes into the second half when Reynolds went down. Despite this, the Broncos tied the scores with two quick tries, thanks to Reece Walsh setting up Kotoni Staggs and creating space for Mam to weave through.
However, celebrations were short-lived as Deine Mariner received a sin bin for a shoulder charge, and Tedesco reignited his team. May scored twice, and Young crossed in the corner to bring up 40 points with nine minutes remaining.
