De Vere Fires But Broncos Busted
by
Sunday April 13, 2003

The Brisbane Broncos' unbeaten run has ended with a comprehensive 32-12 thrashing at the hands of 2002 Grand Finalists, New Zealand Warriors.  While the game was tight for the first 60 minutes, it was the Warriors, renowned for their habit of folding in the final 20 minutes, who ran away with the game with two spectacular tries in the final 10 minutes.

The Broncos go into the Good Friday clash with the Sydney Roosters severely down on confidence after their first visit to an in form team resulted in a convincing beating.  Brisbane's previous four victories came against teams that currently sit in the bottom five on the premiership ladder.

Compounding their problems, Petero Civoniceva and Andrew Gee were both on report for high tackles which looked more than a bit dubious on replay.  Civoniceva, who was suspended after a similar incident with Penrith's Martin Lang, looks to be in the most trouble.

If there was a positive to come out of the game for Brisbane, however, it was the form of winger Michael De Vere.  Named in the New South Wales 30-man squad on Monday, De Vere scored all Brisbane's points with two tries and two goals, and was narrowly denied a third try by the video referee, his foot brushing the touch line as he made a valiant effort to make the corner.

The much maligned but dependable outside back has been in his best form for two years and he will be vital to contain the powerful and speedy Roosters outside backs next week.

Brisbane's appalling ball control continues to cause the most stress.  While defensively they were solid - making almost half as many missed tackles as the Warriors - another 18 handling errors puts them in the bottom three teams in the NRL this year for ball control.  Not only is the volume of mistakes a worry, but the position, with the Broncos often turning over cheap possession inside their own half.

The Warriors started strongly with Francis Meli crossing twice in the first 20 minutes, both times capitalising on poor mistakes by Broncos outside backs Stuart Kelly and Brent Tate.  The Broncos hit back when De Vere crossed in the 29th minute to reduce the margin to 10-6 at half time as the Warriors began to tire under the heat and humidity.

But if the Broncos thought the Warriors would come out lethargic in the second half, they had another thing coming, PJ Marsh finishing off a 60-metre movement in the first set after the resumption to extend the lead to 8-points.  Kelly, who had a horror for Brisbane, came off his wing to take Clinton Toopi ball and all, but the powerful centre shrugged him off with ease, sending Meli down the touch line before Marsh loomed in support inside.

De Vere's second try came moments later, finishing off a swift backline movement.  But Logan Swann's barging try through Gorden Tallis, and a 35-metre penalty goal to Marsh in the 65th minute extended the margin to 8 points before Sione Faumuina and Evarn Tuimavave scored two outstanding tries in the final 10 minutes.  Tuimavave's try may go down as the try of the season. After Shaun Berrigan fumbled a simple pass 30 metres out from his own line, Toopi swooped on the loose ball before gathered in by Lockyer.  He offloaded brilliantly to Stacey Jones, who found Faumuina outside, Faumuina throwing a speculator over his head to find Tuimavave to dive over the line, leaving his teammates and vocal supporters in the stands in raptures.

The Broncos, with Civoniceva and Gee in trouble, and Brett Seymour suffering an injury early in the game, are up against it against the in form Sydney Roosters next Friday night, and unless there is a 100% improvement they face another hefty defeat.