Roll up, roll up! Welcome to the newest feature on BroncoNet, where each week I will recap the Queensland Cup action, analysing where it all went right and wrong.

Round 12 brought us some extremely memorable football, with tight clashes and one sided rompings all sharing the spotlight. We also saw the return of Steve "Pearl" Renouf to rugby league, the continuing poor form of premiers Redcliffe, and the Clydesdales bouncing back to retain the Bulimba Cup Memorial Trophy.

The round started in terrific fashion, with competition heavyweights the Wynnum Seagulls facing off against defending champions Redcliffe Dolphins in the ABC televised match.

Captain Adrian Vowles lead the Toowoomba Clydesdales back into the winners circle yesterday, with a hard fought 32-26 win over traditional rivals the Ipswich Jets.

Despite their best efforts, Ipswich were unable to win back the Bulimba Cup Memorial Trophy in front of a healthy home crowd.

The Clydesdales jumped out of the blocks, racing to a 4-0 lead after just two minutes courtesy of a Steve Irwin try. An error by an Ipswich defender gave "Croc" access to the open line and he took full advantage of the situation.

A dominant second half display has helped the Cronulla Sharks overcome Brisbane 30-22 in front of 26 691 at Suncorp Stadium.

Trailing 16-8 at the half-time break the visitors held off an early attacking raid by the Broncos before answering with a four-pointer of their own through centre Ryan McGoldrick who sprinted over after a lovely interchange of passes with outside man David Simmons.

Brisbane continued to blow their chances with the ball, turning over possession time and again when a try appeared to be a mere formality. First Brent Tate and then Michael De Vere spilled the ball with the tryline beckoning and the Sharks made them pay.

The Brisbane Broncos successfully backed up from the extra-time State of Origin thriller just 48 hours later, defeating St George-Illawarra 24-22 at Suncorp Stadium. After trailing 16-12 at half time, tries to boom youngster Karmichael Hunt and winger Stu Kelly were enough to hold out a committed but error prone Dragons outfit.

St George-Illawarra's contrite centre, Mark Gasnier, put the controversies of the past week and a half and the jeers of a hostile crowd behind him to score the first and last tries of the match. His first came in just the third minute of play, collecting a neat bat back from winger David Howell to score unopposed.

Broncos halfback, Casey McGuire, continued to make the position his own in the absence of first choice Brett Seymour with injury, slicing through between two forwards before finding veteran five-eighth Ben Ikin in support to score the equaliser in just the 7th minute.

A 40m extra-time drop goal to five-eighth Shaun Timmins has handed New South Wales a nail-biting 9-8 win over Queensland in the State of Origin series opener at Telstra Stadium.

It was a typically tight, tough Origin encounter featuring plenty of heavy body contact between two willing forward packs. Craig Fitzgibbon led the home side to victory with a sterling 83 minute effort which included 19 hit-ups and 49 tackles. He was well supported by skipper Danny Buderus, whose 42 tackles was complimented by another scheming display at dummy-half, while interchange stars Craig Wing and Willie Mason both had an impact when introduced by coach Phil Gould.

Relief swept over the Broncos camp this morning, with the news that the Independent Appeals Tribunal, headed by Sir Laurence Street, decided to reinstate the Broncos their two points from the Round 3 victory over the Wests Tigers.

The controversial event occurred in the 58th minute of the match, when substitute prop Corey Parker entered the field before an injured Shane Webcke was totally clear of the field, allbeit 40 metres behind the play.

He scored a crucial try just seconds later.

The punishment handed down by the committee in the place of the two points was a $75,000 fine for the club to pay.

Broncos Managing Director Bruno Cullen praised both the running of the Appeals system and the final decision made, although still felt the fine was harsh.

"I stress that I am very pleased with the process, particularly the opportunity presented to us to put our case to the NRL's Independent Appeals committee. This hearing was very professionally conducted and gave us every opportunity to present all of the facts associated with our appeal," Mr Cullen wrote in a press release issued this morning.

"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.

Talented 23 year old New Zealand test utility player Motu Tony has decided to further his career by going to England and in a surprise move Tony approached Wayne Bennett with a substantial offer from England that would secure his families future.

Tony joined the Brisbane Broncos in the off season for opportunities to not only secure a starting spot in an NRL side but the chance for a premiership and certainly impressed the Broncos and Wayne Bennett in the first two rounds with his impressive agility, speed and skills, but an unfortunate knee injury and the rise of 17 year old fullback Karmichael Hunt set back his chance to impress the Broncos and earn a spot in the starting 13.

Motu Tony who was contracted to play till the end of the season with the Broncos was offered a substantial contract opportunity in England and sought the approval of Wayne Bennett for permission to take up this opportunity. Bennett would not stand in the way of this opportunity if he decided to take up the offer and permission was given.

“The decision was made in the best interests of my family – there was nothing else behind it,” Tony said.
“I have loved Brisbane since I arrived, but the offer to go to England gave me and my family the security I have been looking for. Wayne and the club here understood that and for that I am really grateful.”

Shaun Berrigan has failed to make a comeback from a hamstring injury from the game against the Bulldogs. The talented test utility player asked Wayne Bennett to name him in the squad for the vital match against the Knights but was never able to get out of a jog at this morning’s training session.

27 year old former Queensland 5/8th Ben Ikin has been called into the Broncos lineup against the Knights tomorrow night at half-back to replace the injured Berrigan after making a comeback for the Broncos feeder club Toowoomba Clydesdales.

Ikin is just happy to be back playing football and is enjoying the opportunity to help out the Broncos during the injury crisis and play in the NRL one more time.

“I am just enjoying my football so much at the moment,” Ikin said.

Test utility Shaun Berrigan is a surprise inclusion at halfback in the Broncos' team to take on Newcastle this Friday night at Suncorp Stadium. Berrigan was last week ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring tear but has been chosen in the 17 for Friday's blockbuster just a week after sustaining the injury at training.

Even more surprising is his choice at halfback. Although he played in the position for the majority of the 2003 season, including three State of Origin games for Queensland, Berrigan was moved to the centres this season and has been a revelation, his form so good that he earnt his debut Test jumper against New Zealand last month.

However, a season ending knee injury to halfback Brett Seymour, and five-eighth Darren Lockyer still a month away with a cracked rib has forced coach Wayne Bennett to shift Berrigan in field.