NRL: Broncos snap three game losing steak

Alex Glenn of the Broncos is tackled. Photo / Getty Images

Broncos 34
Sharks 16

Brisbane have fought their way out of a State of Origin period mini-slump, snapping a three-game losing streak with a tough 34-16 NRL victory over Cronulla at Toyota Stadium.

Welcoming back Queensland stars Darren Lockyer and Sam Thaiday, the Broncos had too much class for a Sharks outfit virtually thrown together as injuries continued to hit the club.

Brisbane trailed 4-0 early but hit the front in the 18th minute and were never headed as they convincingly ground out a six tries to three win in front of 14,436 fans after Lockyer and Thaiday had been rested following Origin I.

Backrower Alex Glenn bagged a first half double, while Dale Copley, Corey Parker, Jack Reed and Gerard Beale also scored tries and Parker booted five from seven.

For Cronulla, Jayson Bukuya, Johnny Mannah and Colin Best scored tries with debutant halfback Chad Townsend booting two goals.

There was no joy for workaholic NSW captain Paul Gallen, who had hoped to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his NRL debut, while retiring Test skipper Lockyer exited his final regular season game in Sydney a winner.

The Sharks were forced into several changes before kick-off, with fullback Nathan Gardner and prop Luke Douglas, who on Monday had been ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury, making unexpected returns.

But named fullback Isaac Gordon (knee), winger Stewart Mills (tonsillitis) and halfback Scott Porter (knee) were all ruled out with Toyota Cup No.7 Townsend making his debut.

They were already missing another five regular first-graders and have now lost eight of their last nine matches.

There was hope early when the home side led 4-0 after Bukuya's try but four-pointers to Copley in the 18th minute and then Glenn in the 28th and 35th had the Broncos ahead 16-4.

Glenn's second effort provided one of the more bizarre moments of the 2011 season, the Kiwi Mr Fix-It pouncing on a ball Sharks fullback Gardner had willed to go dead for what seemed like an eternity.

Cronulla hit back in the final minute of the half when big prop Mannah crashed over, a fitting result for a player who battled Hodgkin's lymphoma as the Sharks wore special jerseys for the Call to Arms cancer campaign.

But the Broncos were quick to build on their 16-10 halftime lead, with Parker capitalising on some superb ballplay from Lockyer and Thaiday in the 52nd minute, Reed crossing seven minutes later and Beale scoring in the 77th minute.

A 64th minute Parker penalty goal made it 30-10 before a consolation to Best in the final minute.

"For most of that second half we went out and did what we needed to do," was Broncos coach Anthony Griffin's summation.

Sharks counterpart Shane Flanagan bemoaned his side's inability to back up from last weekend's strong performance against high-flyers Melbourne.

"We were never in the game in the second half, they ran harder than we did and we didn't wrestle well enough and we just weren't on our game," he said.

Lockyer laughed off his final club game in Sydney.

"It's funny, I'll be back here next week (playing State of Origin)," he said.

"(I've got) some memories of coming to Shark Park, it's usually blowing a gale and raining."



BRISBANE 34 (A Glenn 2 G Beale D Copley C Parker J Reed tries C Parker 5 goals) bt CRONULLA 16 (C Best J Bukuya J Mannah tries C Townsend 2 goals) at Toyota Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Tony De Las Heras. Crowd: 14,436.

- AAP