Broncos 24 Dragons 10
The apprentice beat the master last night as the Broncos continued their incredible run, condemning the minor premiers to a premature end to their season.
Ivan Henjak learned his trade under Wayne Bennett as Broncos assistant during 2006-08 and he showed last night he was a good student.
His Broncos
side thoroughly outplayed the Dragons to claim their seventh straight win and take their place in the final four. They now have a date with the Storm in Melbourne on Saturday night.
As good as the Broncos were, however, the Dragons invited trouble. They had set the standard for completion rates throughout the season - something Bennett built a dynasty around in 21 years at Brisbane - but last night coughed up the ball in all areas of the park.
They tried offloads in questionable areas and handed over possession. Their completion rate midway through the second half was an unacceptable 55 per cent. You simply don't win with a number like that.
They trailed just 12-6 at the break and ended the half strongly but started the second half poorly and were made to pay. They conceded 12 points in as many minutes and were left playing catch-up. Teams rarely profit with that approach and certainly not against a defence as good as Brisbane's last night.
The win was the seventh in a row for the Broncos, equalling the best by any team this season and the club's best since 2005. Needing another two to achieve the real prize, they might be forced to attempt it without halfback Peter Wallace, who left the field with an ankle injury.
Next weekend, they will meet the side they agonisingly lost to 16-14 at the same stage last season. This time, it will be in Melbourne, where the Storm have won nine of their 11 games against the Broncos. The Storm have also won eight of the last 10 games between the two sides.
But if statistics were anything to go by, the Dragons were supposed to win last night. They went to Suncorp having won eight of the last 10 games between the two sides and the last five in Brisbane.
But apart from a 20-minute spell at the end of the first half, the Broncos were in control.
They burst out of the blocks, with fullback Karmichael Hunt scoring two tries in three minutes to take an early 12-0 lead. The first came courtesy of a miracle Darren Lockyer pass, with the Broncos five-eighth seemingly shut down on the last play in the 16th minute, and the second saw Hunt running on to a clever inside ball from prop Dave Taylor.
At that stage, the home side had all the momentum.
But the Dragons rebounded quickly, scoring through Brett Morris who skirted down the sideline in the 23rd minute. They kept hammering away for the remainder of the half but couldn't find a way through.
Bennett's side needed to maintain momentum in the second half but started it poorly. Jharal Yow Yeh climbed to claim a Wallace bomb in the 49th minute and three minutes later, Lagi Setu gratefully dived on a Wallace grubber.
Game over. The Dragons battled manfully, with Morris grabbing his second in the 66th minute, but left themselves with too much to do. The minor premiers have left it for others to find the major winners.
Broncos 24 (K. Hunt 2, J. Yow Yeh, L. Setu tries; C. Parker 4 gls) Dragons 10 (B. Morris 2 tries, J. Soward gl). Halftime: 12-6.
The final four
Friday, September 25
Bulldogs vs Eels, Sydney, 9.45pm (NZT)
Saturday, September 26
Storm vs Broncos, Melbourne, 9.45pm (NZT)
* The winners will contest the NRL grand final at ANZ Stadium on Sunday, October 4.
