Brisbane’s premiership defence is in serious jeopardy after a 16-28 home loss to Cronulla extended the Broncos’ losing streak to eight matches, leaving their finals hopes hanging by the slimmest of threads.
Winger Sione Katoa starred with a hat-trick as the Sharks strengthened their push for a top-four finish, while Brisbane’s season continued to unravel through injuries, poor discipline and costly mistakes. Despite a late rally that briefly narrowed the deficit, a dropped pass by stand-in captain Kotoni Staggs allowed Braydon Trindall to seal the result.
Coach Michael Maguire now faces the daunting prospect of needing his side to win its remaining eight games to have any chance of reaching the playoffs, a feat no team has achieved after such a prolonged losing streak in the modern NRL era. Meanwhile, Cronulla’s victory keeps them firmly in the hunt for a top-four finish, with Nicho Hynes, Trindall and a dominant forward pack playing key roles.
