Gidley's golden goal sinks Broncos
by Chris Cox
Saturday May 15, 2004

"The operation was successful, the patient died," was how coach Wayne Bennett summed up tonight's 17-16 extra time loss to Newcastle at Suncorp Stadium.  With Brisbane's crippling injury toll throwing all team tactics to the wind, the Broncos had to do everything to plan to win the game.

They did everything they had trained to do - except win the game.

Newcastle led 10-4 at half time very much against the run of play, as the Broncos dominated field position and possession for the vast majority of the half.  Craig Frawley opened the scoring with a beautiful try orchestrated by the Broncos' backs, fullback Karmichael Hunt chiming into the action to draw in the winger and send Frawley away to score.

Knights winger Craig Hall scored two classy wingers' tries, capitalising on some poor positional play from Broncos opposite Stuart Kelly to give his side the lead. Broncos hooker Michael Ryan was unlucky to be disallowed a try earlier in the half for a double movement, replays suggesting referee Paul Simpkins acted hastily and might've been better served going to the video referee.

Brisbane hit back after the break when halfback Casey McGuire sliced through from 30 metres out, then showing great composure to draw the fullback before Hunt supported to score. 

Michael De Vere scored a try with 15 minutes on the clock after a McGuire bomb was tapped back by Frawley to Tate and some helter skelter passing sending the Test winger over.  De Vere's conversion put them ahead 16-10.

Frawley looked certain to score the matchwinner just minutes later when a Neville Costigan offload had the winger unmarked with less than 10 metres to run, but he couldn't handle the difficult pass.  Just two minutes later Danny Buderus darted through a gap and dummied past Hunt to score under the posts and equalise the game.

Field goal attempts were charged down from both sides and in the last second Shane Webcke charged through the defence and looked certain to score only to be denied by desperate Knights defence. That defence also appeared to take Hunt high and without the ball, but Simpkins ruled full time and Golden Point was to follow.

Both sides worked through a set of six before the Knights got in range. Kurt Gidley, 35 metres out, getting a shot away as Gorden Tallis desperately attempted a charge down. Tallis missed and the ball wobbled and floated off Gidley's boot. 33000 people watched with mouths agasp as the ball sailed, and sailed, eventually creeping over the cross bar.  Newcastle erupting into scenes of jubilation, victors 17-16.

It was a magnificent match, the kind of game no team deserves to lose - and until last year neither would have. That the Broncos leave the game without a point is disheartening given the effort and the quality of the performance.  However, that's the rules of the day.

For Newcastle it is reward for great courage. Not only did they come into the game with an injury list as long as some clubs' playing rosters, they lost former Origin fullback Mark Hughes and Test forward Ben Kennedy in the opening minutes. Forced to play the remainder of the game with 15 men, they battled on and gained the rewards.

Brisbane can be proud of their effort also, with McGuire outstanding at halfback and Hunt continuing to go from strength to strength.  That Hunt is just 17 years of age is hard to believe given the maturity and composure he plays his football with. A sublime talent who may yet find himself talked about at the Queensland selection table this weekend.