The Newcastle Knights have suffered a heavy 48-6 defeat by the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The visitors were forced to make a number of changes, including the loss of five-eighth Jarrod Mullen on game day.
It didn't improve for the Knights, going into the sheds 14-0 at half time before the Broncos ran away with a 42-point win.
In the third minute, Dane Gagai dropped the ball fifteen metres out from his own try line when under pressure from Sam Thaiday.
The Broncos immediately set about building pressure from the scrum, but a loose pass was scooped up by Chanel Mata'utia and the Knights escaped paying for their early mistake.
Five minutes later the Broncos were on the move again, winger Daniel Vidot charging down the left flank and seemingly bound for a try.
Chanel Mata'utia rose to the challenge with a strong piece of defence, holding Vidot up over the line with the help of fullback Kurt Gidley.
Gidley was at it again in the 13th minute, the skipper chasing thirty metres to make a last ditch tackle on flying winger Lachlan Maranta.
The Broncos continued to build pressure though and were rewarded five minutes later as Jack Reed flicked the ball on for Vidot to score.
Corey Parker did well to add the extras from the touchline, making the score 6-0.
The Knights continued to make uncharacteristic errors considering recent form, Tyrone Roberts knocking on in the 22nd minute to give the Broncos yet another chance. Leilua's error minutes later produced the Knights' seventh error in 25 minutes.
The Broncos pushed hard in response, a Ben Hunt kick forcing Gidley to palm the ball into touch as opposition players lurked in the in-goal area.
The Knights attempted a similar manoeuvre of their own two minutes later, Michael Dobson producing a neat grubber for Roberts to chase.
The halfback was desperately unlucky not to score, replays showing he grounded the ball scant millimetres out of touch.
Shocked into action the Broncos played their way down the field in the following set, Matt Gillett muscling his way over to score. Hunt's conversion sailed wide, leaving the score at 10-0 with five minutes to go in the first half.
The Broncos soon struck again, Jack Reed running 30 metres to score. With two minutes left on the clock Hunt missed his second conversion, leaving the score at 14-0 as the two teams headed for the sheds.
The Knights returned for the second half with renewed energy and the Broncos were caught off guard in the 41st minute, Korbin Sims charging ten metres from dummy-half to power over the line. Gidley nailed a straightforward conversion, making the score 14-6.
A scuffle emerged between Beau Scott and Justin Hodges in the 45th minute, the penalty going to the Broncos and subsequently letting them out of their own half.
Five minutes later Reed was close to getting his second try, only for four Knights defenders to block him from the line in a solid defensive move.
The Knights' defence was tested again in the 55th minute as Maranta sprinted 50 metres down the left flank only to be tackled well by Leilua.
The momentum stayed with the Broncos and Hodges fed the ball on for Maranta to score in the right corner.
Parker returned to kicking duties and did well to convert from the touchline again, making the score 20-6 with 23 minutes to go.
It didn't take long for the Broncos to cross over again, this time through Ben Barba in the 59th minute. Parker was unable to maintain his kicking heroics, the ball bouncing off the upright to keep the score at 24-6.
Six minutes later things went from bad to worse for the Knights, an Adam Cuthbertson offload falling into the hands of Barba. The five-eighth raced 40 metres to score beneath the uprights and Parker added the extras, making it 30-6 with fourteen minutes of play left.
The Knights were unable to steady the ship and Barba scored his third from a Hunt grubber in the 69th minute, making it three tries in 11 minutes for the playmaker. Again Parker converted, boosting the scoreline to 36-6.
In the 76th minute Corey Oates broke through the middle to score, skipping past attempted tackles from Gidley and Sione Mata'utia.
Parker added the extras from directly in front of the uprights, making the score 42-6.
Barba produced another moment of magic from the Knights' kick-off, powering down the left wing to pass to Reed, who scored his second of the night. Ben Hunt took to the tee for the final conversion of the match and made no mistakes, leaving the final score at 48-6.
NRL SUMMARY
Newcastle Knights 6 (T: Sims, G: Gidley 1/1)
Brisbane Broncos 48 (T: Barba 3, Reed 2, Vidot, Gillett, Maranta, Oates, G: Parker 5/6, Hunt 1/3)
