Jamayne Isaako kicked a golden-point field goal to seal a crucial 17-16 win for Brisbane Broncos over Parramatta Eels.
After both sides exchanged early penalties, the Eels opened the try-scoring when a nice move to the left resulted in Maika Sivo crossing for the 17th try of his rookie season.
But Brisbane would bounce back to lead when after a break by Darius Boyd, David Fifita barged his way over. Isaako’s penalty, late in the first half, made it 10-6 to the home side at the break.
And Brisbane extended that lead only three minutes into the second half when Boyd grounded Anthony Milford’s grubber kick. Even Andrew McCullough’s sin bin for a professional foul on Clint Gutherson didn’t yield any points for the visitors.
But the Eels were able to level the game after the hooker’s return when Blake Ferguson dived in at the corner on his return to the side. Then Kane Evans smashed his way over under the posts with three minutes to go.
Isaako hit the post with a field goal in regular time before, in the first set of golden point, Fifita’s brilliant run set up Isaako who nailed the one-pointer.
Broncos: Milford, Isaako, Staggs, Glenn, Oates, Boyd, O’Sullivan, Lodge, McCullough, Haas, Fifita, Gillett, Carrigan; Interchanges: Segeyaro, Flegler, Shibasaki, Kennedy
Tries: Fifita, Boyd; Goals: Isaako 4; Field goal: Isaako (82)
Sin bin: McCullough (48) – professional foul
Eels: Gutherson, Sivo, Jennings, Blake, Ferguson, Brown, Moses, Evans, Mahoney, Paulo, Lane, Ma’u, Alvaro; Interchanges: Niukore, Terepo, Gower, Takairangi
Tries: Sivo, Ferguson, Evans; Goals: Moses 2
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.