Corey Oates scored a hat-trick as Brisbane Broncos boosted their playoff hopes with a 38-18 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Brisbane started brightly. A quick play-the-ball near the line allowed the ball to be shifted wide on the next play to Oates.
Another move to the left found Oates once again as the Broncos continued to dominate due to some poor ball control from Souths.
It kept getting worse for the Rabbitohs who found themselves 18 points down when Anthony Milford went straight up the middle and found Korbin Sims who continued his try-scoring form.
But some slick passing from Souths earnt them their first try on 33 minutes. A quick last pass from Dane Gagai sent Richie Kennar over the line. On the hooter, Adam Reynolds reduced the arrears to ten with a penalty.
Souths thought they were right back in the game when Cody Walker got across the line but he was ruled to have dropped the ball. Then John Sutton went close before Kennar got his double. Souths were back in it.
The Rabbitohs were level when Hymel Hunt strolled in on the left after good work from Braidon Burns.
But Oates completed his hat-trick when he took a high bomb superbly. Then, David Fifita scored his first NRL try before Isaako made the lead a three-try one.
Kodi Nikorima rounded off the win with an intercept try in the final minute.
Broncos: Boyd, Oates, Roberts, Kahu, Isaako, Milford, Nikorima, Ofahengaue, McCullough, Thaiday, Glenn, Pangai jnr, McGuire; Interchanges: Lodge, Sims, Fifita, Mago
Tries: Oates 3, Sims, Fifita, Nikorima; Goals: Isaako 7
Rabbitohs: Gagai, Hunt, Burns, Fuimaono, Kennar, Walker, Reynolds, T Burgess, Cook, G Burgess, Sutton, Crichton, S Burgess; Interchanges: Hiroti, Murray, Clark, Tatola
Tries: Kennar 2, Hunt; Goals: Reynolds 3
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
