Saturday, June 19, 2004
Broncos down brave Eels
Eels playmaker Adam Dykes has been taken to hospital after suffering an injury in the Eels 34 to 24 loss to Brisbane.
The Dykes injury was a turning point in the match. The Eels looked to be coming home stronger than tiring a Brisbane outfit, however they struggled to maintain pressure once their primary playmaker was taken from the field early in the second half.
A Darren Lockyer inspired Broncos marched out to a 12-0 lead, however the Eels bravely returned fire after Junior Langi, in one of his best games in the Blue and Gold slipped a magnificant flick pass to Wade McKinnon who outpaced the covering defence to score.
Luke Burt then scored after he tapped back an ordinary John Morris kick to Adam Dykes who ran to the line before flicking the pass out for Burt to pick up and touch down.
However, the Eels suffered a blow with the end of the first half beckoning when Luke Burt misread a Brisbane attacking raid down the right send and Lockyer sent De Vere across untouched.
Parramatta needed to be the first team to score, but it was not to be with Darren Smith scoring for Brisbane.
However, the Eels again refused to lay down and Ashley Graham scored a controversial try in the corner with the video referee giving the Eels the benefit of the doubt. Less than ten minutes later, the Eels were back on evel terms after Dean Widders dummied to put the defence in two minds then barging over, continuing his try scoring run over the last couple of weeks.
However, with Dykes off the field the Eels got lost in attack and again Darren Lockyer stepped up for Brisbane. A huge towering bomb saw both Luke Burt and Wade McKinnon try to catch the ball only to see Burt drop the pill and Darren Smith pick up score a double.
The Broncos put the game beyond doubt with three minutes to go when Ashley Graham and Luke Burt failed to shut down an attack outwide from Karmichael Hunt and Craig Frawley that saw Frawley go over in the corner.
The Dykes injury was a turning point in the match. The Eels looked to be coming home stronger than tiring a Brisbane outfit, however they struggled to maintain pressure once their primary playmaker was taken from the field early in the second half.
A Darren Lockyer inspired Broncos marched out to a 12-0 lead, however the Eels bravely returned fire after Junior Langi, in one of his best games in the Blue and Gold slipped a magnificant flick pass to Wade McKinnon who outpaced the covering defence to score.
Luke Burt then scored after he tapped back an ordinary John Morris kick to Adam Dykes who ran to the line before flicking the pass out for Burt to pick up and touch down.
However, the Eels suffered a blow with the end of the first half beckoning when Luke Burt misread a Brisbane attacking raid down the right send and Lockyer sent De Vere across untouched.
Parramatta needed to be the first team to score, but it was not to be with Darren Smith scoring for Brisbane.
However, the Eels again refused to lay down and Ashley Graham scored a controversial try in the corner with the video referee giving the Eels the benefit of the doubt. Less than ten minutes later, the Eels were back on evel terms after Dean Widders dummied to put the defence in two minds then barging over, continuing his try scoring run over the last couple of weeks.
However, with Dykes off the field the Eels got lost in attack and again Darren Lockyer stepped up for Brisbane. A huge towering bomb saw both Luke Burt and Wade McKinnon try to catch the ball only to see Burt drop the pill and Darren Smith pick up score a double.
The Broncos put the game beyond doubt with three minutes to go when Ashley Graham and Luke Burt failed to shut down an attack outwide from Karmichael Hunt and Craig Frawley that saw Frawley go over in the corner.
