Broncos 50
Rabbitohs 22
Still smarting from Israel Folau's defection, the Broncos may have unwittingly provided AFL scouts some more food for thought in their win over South Sydney yesterday.
All the talk in the week leading up to the Broncos' Suncorp Stadium match surrounded the Queensland Origin selection dilemma over new AFL poster
boy Folau.
And so it almost seemed fitting that the resurgent Broncos sealed their fifth straight victory with a high-flying display featuring backrower Ben Te'o's hat-trick.
Certainly Te'o would not look out of place with the Sherrin judging by his fantastic leap to mark a Peter Wallace kick that completed his three-try - and five-star - display.
But it would be safe to say Rabbitohs winger Fetuli Talanoa would not be one of the Polynesian boys who will follow Folau into AFL.
Besides coming off second best to Te'o in the 44th minute, Talanoa was also comfortably out-leapt by Jharal Yow Yeh in the 11th to open the Broncos' scoring.
Indeed Yow Yeh also provided an impressive showcase.
After spending the week as 18th man with the Maroons, Yow Yeh showed he would be able to take the next step up with a two-try display that included a wonderful solo effort near fulltime.
Breaking free down the right sideline, he kicked ahead to himself to turn fullback Rhys Wesser inside out to complete a wonderful 60m effort.
Backrower Matt Gillett was another standout with a two-try effort after being slotted into the centres to replace Folau.
He also set up two of Te'o's tries with a deft pass and showed awesome power in defence.
After leading 28-10 at halftime, the Broncos powered on with tries to Te'o (44th), Gillett (54th, 74th) and Yow Yeh (79th) to bring the 30,311 crowd to their feet.
The Broncos are now 7-6 with the nine tries to four win - a truly incredible turnaround after their 1-4 season start.
But it was a body blow to South Sydney (7-6) who were without a total of 10 NRL contracted players because of injury, suspension and in the case of Sam Burgess, Test duty.
The Rabbitohs opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Wesser helped winger Nathan Merritt crash over in the right corner.
But then it became one-way traffic as Josh Hoffman (11th minute), Yow Yeh (14th) and Te'o (19th) scored in a remarkable eight minute burst.
Souths somehow found themselves back in the match when centre Colin Best latched on to a sublime John Sutton cutout pass and scored in the 27th minute to make it 16-10.
However, normal service resumed when Hoffman (33rd) and Te'o (39th) completed their doubles by halftime.
In another headache for South Sydney coach John Lang, backrower Beau Falloon was placed on report in the 23rd minute for a spear tackle on Te'o.
- AAP