NRL: Broncos pipped despite stunning comeback

Shaun Kenny-Dowall of the Roosters runs with the ball. Photo / Getty Images

Roosters 34
Broncos 30

The Sydney Roosters won a remarkable NRL contest against Brisbane with centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall scoring four tries in the high-paced victory last night.

Born in Australia, Kenny-Dowall grew up in Ngaruawahia and was a Junior Kiwi in 2006-7 and has one test cap for the full Kiwis.

Kenny-Dowall's last try regained the lead for the Roosters after the Broncos had staged a stunning comeback from 28-6 down in the second half to lead 30-28 following a hotly disputed try to prop Nick Kenny.

Brisbane's top-eight hopes were dented by a Roosters side which was red hot in the opening half, sparked by stand-in halfback Todd Carney.

He was superb as the Roosters overcame an early defensive lapse which saw Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough cross from dummy half in just the third minute.

Three tries in 10 minutes - the first to Carney and Kenny-Dowall's first-half double (20th and 25th minutes) - sent the Roosters to the sheds 16-6 up.

Carney was again involved in the lead-up to a BJ Leilua try just after half time that pushed the Roosters out to a 22-6 lead, before Kenny-Dowall cashed in on a dropped ball to run 75 metres for his third in the 50th minute.

Carney's conversion to make it 28-6 seemed to slam the door.

But there was plenty more to come for the crowd of 26,486.

Utility Matt Gillett produced a powerhouse try in the 54th minute to reduce the margin to 28-12.

Israel Folau crossed in the 60th minute before Gillett engineered a try for winger Antonio Winterstein that cut the difference to 28-24.

The Broncos snatched the lead when Kenny put his hand on a loose ball deemed to have been stripped from Folau in a two-man tackle.

Corey Parker's conversion gave Brisbane the lead 30-28 despite the Roosters' protest that Folau had lost the ball.

Kenny-Dowall came up with the knockout blow after Carney and fullback Anthony Minichiello combined to put him over in the 75th minute.

- AAP