BRISBANE BRONCOS 32 PARRAMATTA EELS  40
TOM SMITH, Suncorp Stadium, Thursday

JONAH PEZET gave Brisbane fans a preview of what they can expect from their new recruit next season, leading his interim team to a comeback upset of the premiers on their own turf, although in the short term giving Parramatta coach Jason Ryles the last laugh over Michael Maguire.

Pezet set up three tries then scored the sealer in the 79th minute as the Eels reeled in a 20-6 first-half deficit.

The 23-year-old half has joined the Eels from the Storm on a twelve-month deal before he heads north to Brisbane in 2027, and showed the Suncorp Stadium faithful what they’ve got to look forward to.

Halves partner Mitchell Moses and two-try fullback Isaiah Iongi also starred in this high-scoring, see-sawing clash.

Adding injury to insult, the Broncos lost halfback Adam Reynolds to an apparent rib injury at the death and Jack Gosiewski to a head-injury assessment in the first half.

On the bright side, ace fullback Reece Walsh lit up Lang Park with two tries. Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs and Eels backrower Kelma Tuilagi bagged braces too.

Both these clubs suffered crushing defeats in round one: Parramatta crumbled 52-4 in Melbourne before Brisbane fell 26-0 in a deflating preliminary final rematch against Penrith on home turf.

And the Broncos’ premiership defence continued its rocky start here, now 0-2 with a tough trip to Melbourne to come this Friday.

Broncos coach Maguire swapped Ben Hunt for Ezra Mam in his starting line-up, while Eels coach Ryles lost centre Will Penisini (groin) and prop J’maine Hopgood (suspension) but regained prolific winger Josh Addo-Carr from his thumb injury.

Walsh scored a signature try to open the scoring inside five minutes, pin-balling off Moses then swan-diving over the line.

Staggs stretched the hosts’ advantage soon after, timing his run perfectly to collect a smart Reynolds grubber.

Tuilagi eventually got the Eels on the board with a spectacular solo charge, steaming onto a Pezet pass to leave a string of maroon jumpers in his wake.

An escort penalty handed Reynolds a penalty goal then Broncos shot even further ahead when Payne Haas strolled over from an assist by Patrick Carrigan.

The tone shifted on the half-hour mark though, after Ryley Smith pounced on a Pezet grubber, which Haas coughed up.

Parra’s gun stand-off then sent Tuilagi over for his second. And when Moses converted Iongi’s try moments before half-time, the Eels had stolen the lead.

The change of ends didn’t hurt their momentum, as their live-wire fullback crossed again within two minutes of the restart, slashing through the Broncos’ goal-line defence.

Staggs snared his second to help Brisbane level the scores again, connecting with an inventive chip kick from Mam.

A scrum penalty then handed Moses two points, giving the men in yellow a slender lead as the clock ticked past the hour mark.

Walsh thrilled the home fans with a daring chip-and-chase try, but Parramatta silenced them when Pezet stabbed a kick into the corner for Sean Russell to score.

Moses dobbed the vital sideline conversion to put the Eels up by two.

And the competition points were on their way to western Sydney once Pezet regathered his own ricocheted grubber for the clincher.

GAMESTAR: Jonah Pezet will join the Broncos next season, but hurt his future team-mates with three try assists and the game-clinching four-pointer.

GAMEBREAKER: Up by two with 60 seconds left, Pezet regathered his own mishandled grubber kick to seal Parra’s comeback.

MATCHFACTS

BRONCOS
1 Reece Walsh
2 Josiah Karapani
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Gehamat Shibasaki
5 Deine Mariner
6 Ezra Mam
7 Adam Reynolds
8 Corey Jensen
9 Cory Paix
10 Payne Haas
11 Jack Gosiewski
12 Jordan Riki
13 Patrick Carrigan
Subs
14 Ben Hunt
15 Xavier Willison
16 Ben Talty
17 Aublix Tawha
18 Grant Anderson (not used)
21 Jaiyden Hunt (not used)

Tries: Walsh (5, 61), Staggs (11, 46), Haas (25)
Goals: Reynolds 6/6

EELS
1 Isaiah Iongi
2 Bailey Simonsson
4 Sean Russell
20 Jordan Samrani
5 Josh Addo-Carr
6 Jonah Pezet
7 Mitchell Moses
8 Jack Williams
9 Ryley Smith
10 Junior Paulo
11 Kelma Tuilagi
12 Kitione Kautoga
13 Jack De Belin
Subs
14 Dylan Walker
15 Sam Tuivaiti
16 Matt Doorey
17 Tallyn Da Silva
18 Charlie Guymer (not used)
19 Joash Papalii (not used)

Tries: Tuilagi (18, 33), Smith (31), Iongi (36, 43), Russell (68), Pezet (79)
Goals: Moses 6/8

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 14-6, 20-6, 20-12, 20-16, 20-22; 20-26, 26-26, 26-28, 32-28, 32-34, 32-40

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Broncos: Reece Walsh; Eels: Jonah Pezet

Penalty count: 3-8
Half-time: 20-22
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Attendance: 39,015