The NRL’s unluckiest player has been left in tears following a horrific knock, but the Brisbane Broncos have almost ended their 14-year curse.
Who made any comments regarding a hoodoo?
The Brisbane Broncos eventually defeated the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp
Stadium after a 14-year losing drought, dominating the match 26-0. The team is now one victory away from its first Grand Final since 2015.
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Famously, the Broncos hadn’t defeated the Storm at Suncorp Stadium since 2009. However, the team demonstrated it belonged at the season’s peak by securing a home preliminary final and a week off.
For the Broncos, it was a fantastic night, but for the Storm, it was a nightmare.
Not only did the team lose without scoring to the Broncos for the first time ever, but Ryan Papenhuyzen also suffered yet another terrible injury.
Papenhuyzen was tripped by his teammate while going for a tackle with seven minutes left.
But even though it appeared little, it was horrible when he gripped his ankle and sobbed as he was carried off the field on a stretcher.
Papenhuyzen just made a comeback from a severe knee cap fracture that kept him out of the game for nearly a year, but it looks like he still has a lengthy rehabilitation ahead of him.
After he was carted off the field for medical attention, the Storm verified it was a complex ankle fracture.
Dan Ginnane exclaimed, “Oh no, oh no, oh goodness me,” as Papenhuyzen grasped his ankle.
Oh my, this is awful. Ryan Papenhuyzen is the player in our game who most certainly doesn’t deserve this. After being absent for more than a year, he has returned.
“This game isn’t always fair. The Storm has had a very awful night, but it just got a lot worse.
It was described as a “terrible, terrible incident” by Corey Parker.
That is a terrible one. It’s a vicious game, Parker continued.
“Rehab after a terrible knee injury kept me out of the game for more than a year. From what we could see, the right ankle seemed to have suffered yet another terrible wound.
Simply put, “You just can’t believe it.”
He had to turn his head. Paul Vautin remarked on Nine, “This is dreadful, awful.
Storm star Cameron Munster stated it was difficult to see after the game.
Munster remarked, “I feel bad for him.
“The news is not good. The unfortunate guy had recently recovered from an accident. We’re hoping he’ll return so we can see the Papy who we know can play.
Devastating news for him and the club, but we support him wholeheartedly.
It was “one of the more devastating sidelines I’ve been on,” according to Jake Duke of the Fox League.
After the game, Papenhuyzen remained at the stadium as the team awaited an ambulance to take him to the hospital.
A miserable night for the Storm was rendered even worse by the injury, as the team was completely defenseless against the Broncos’ persistent attacks.
It means the Broncos will host just their third preliminary final, while the Storm will have to beat the winner of the Sharks or Roosters.
They’ll just have to get their attack in order.
“I don’t think I’ve seen the Melbourne Storm as confused as they have been tonight,” Greg Alexander said in Fox Sports commentary.
And Munster succinctly summed up the match.
“Dogs**t,” he replied when asked about how he’d sum up the performance.
“We have to go back to the drawing board next week and change a few things or get back to the footy we flow we can play.
“If we compete like we did tonight, it will be similar. We will have a good hard look at themselves, especially myself. We can’t be dishing that up. It was terrible.”
The match was full of feeling with Origin teammates Harry Grant and Pat Carrigan going face-to-face inside the opening minute but the Broncos were quick to get back to playing football with Kotoni Staggs scoring the first try in the seventh minute.
While it was the only try of the first half, the Broncos took an 8-0 lead to the break.
But the second half was all one way traffic as the Broncos tore the Storm apart, scoring three tries in the second half to blow out the score.
“Oh no, oh no, oh goodness me,” Dan Ginnane said as Papenhuyzen grabbed for his ankle.
“Oh this is terrible. If anyone in out game does not deserve this, it’s Ryan Papenhuyzen. He has come back after more than a year on the sidelines.
“Sometimes this game is not fair. It’s been a pretty bad night for the Storm but it just became a whole lot worse.”
Corey Parker called it a “terrible, terrible incident”.
“He had to look away. This is awful, awful,” Paul Vautin said on Nine.
9.07pm — Reece Walsh finally stamps authority
Reece Walsh has had a pretty quiet night at Suncorp Stadium but he’s stepped up in the big moment to give the Broncos a 14-0 lead after 52 minutes.
After collecting the ball on a backline movement, Walsh stepped inside Young Tonumaipea before beating Harry Grant for a low tackle and carrying Cameron Munster over the line.
“The stage is not too big, the lights are not too bright for this young man,” Dan Ginnane said in Fox Sports commentary.
And immediately after, Jordan Riki slammed it down, extending the lead out to 20-0.
8.36pm — Broncos take 8-0 lead to the break
The Broncos are looking to smash their 14-year hoodoo against the Storm and lead 8-0 at halftime.
It’s been a wild first half with some biff, big hits, a try and desperate defence.
The match is far from over but it’s exactly what the Broncos need to give themselves confidence to snap the 14-game curse.
8.18pm — Papenhuyzen in after centre’s HIA
Young Tonumaipea has gone for a HIA after copping an accidental boot from Reece Walsh.
After an attacking bomb from Cam Munster, Selwyn Cobbo batted it back to Walsh.
The Broncos fullback skipped through the first line of chasers, including Tonumaipea, who went for a legs tackle.
But as Walsh skipped out, he left the centre in a bloody mess on the ground.
The injury sees Papenhuyzen come on, likely to fullback with Nick Meaney believed to have shifted out to the centres.
8.03pm — Broncos score first
Kotoni Staggs has the first try of the night as the Broncos take the lead.
In the 8th minute, after mistakes from the Storm, Staggs got the ball from Adam Reynolds about 10m out and beat two men before the line before barging his way over another two at the line.
The finals are well and truly here, ladies and gentlemen.
If you need any proof that there’s a boatload of feeling in this clash, look no further than the first minute of play with Origin teammates Pat Carrigan and Harry Grant ending up squaring up over next to nothing.
Carrigan seemed persistent at attacking Josh King’s ball carrying arm and Grant too exception.
It’s seen the pair starting a push and shove between all the players between the Origin teammates.
“Harry Grant tried to grab a hold of his ponytail, I think,” Cameron Smith said on Nine.
And fans were loving it.
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