Brisbane Broncos end Bulldogs unbeaten run in a first half masterclass

The Brisbane Broncos have ended the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs’ dream of a record-breaking season opening run in torrential weather on Thursday night in Brisbane.

The Broncos annihilated the Bulldogs 42-18 at Suncorp Stadium in a one-sided ANZAC Round clash that saw the home side produce the most dominant first-half performance of the 2025 NRL season.

With six unanswered tries in the opening 30 minutes, the Broncos raced to a commanding 34-0 halftime lead, frustrating the Bulldogs into giving away a flurry of ill-disciplined penalties, which saw three players sent to the bin – with a fourth and fifth player very arguably lucky to escape – after both being put on report late.

A handling error from the Bulldogs in the first set of the game put the Doggies immediately on the back foot, which then took the Broncos one minute to capitalise against the best defensive team in the NRL.

Veteran halfback Adam Reynolds became the architect of the first half onslaught, putting on a kicking masterclass in the wet.

Reynolds stole the show with two pinpoint cross-field kicks that found winger Dean Mariner for tries, he executed game-shifting 40-20’s, and nailed conversions from the sideline in the pouring rain – while earning himself a cheeky meat pie (try).

“He’s one of the best game managers in the comp, and tonight he put on a clinic,” said Fox League’s Michael Ennis.

The Bulldogs’ discipline unravelled in the first half, with Sitili Tupouniua and Joshua Curran both sent to the sin bin for shoulder charges that made direct contact with the head.

Adding to the controversy, Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton escaped a binning for a similar hit on Billy Walters, instead placed on report, despite Walters being sent from the field under HIA protocols shortly after.

Tupouniua, who had just returned from a sin bin, was again penalised and put on report; lucky to not be sent from the field after lifting a knee into contact with Broncos player Brandan Piakura, collecting the forward in the side of the head.

The home crowd’s feelings were heard loud and clear as the replay lit up the big screen.

In the very next play, Bulldogs winger Marcelo Montoya paid the price for his teams ill-discipline and was sent to the sin-bin for the second head contact in as many plays on Piakura.

Referee Gerard Sutton put a stop to the game addressing Bulldogs captain Steven Crichton for his team’s mounting infringements.

“You need to display more discipline… There are far too many incidents of foul play,” Sutton said over the loudspeaker.

Canterbury, who were already being touted as potential premiership favourites, were humbled in their first true test with a top four team.

To the Bulldogs credit, they showed resilience in the second half, outscoring Brisbane three tries to two.

Villiame Kikau led the fightback, finding space on the Broncos’ right edge twice.

Adding to the chaos, a Broncos trainer was struck by the ball while running off the field during a penalty play, resulting in a rare re-kick.

Reynolds injury concern

The final minutes saw Reynolds leave the field clutching at his shoulder, which he appeared to injury when scoring his try in the first half.

Early sideline reports suggested it was a burner or potential minor subluxation.

An injury to the NRL’s try-assist leader could concern Brisbane, especially with Reece Walsh already sidelined.

Billy Walters sealed the win with a late try, as the Broncos cruised home and snapped their two-game losing streak.

Broncos coach Michael Maguire praised his side’s fast start on Thursday, despite the short turnaround between games.

“It was a short turnaround, but the boys did well and got on the front foot early,” Maguire said in the post-match press conference.

“I think they’ve found their game, and we’ve just got to keep working on it.”

Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds addressed concerns about the shoulder.

“It’s a little sore – it sort of went dead on me after I scored that first try. Pins and needles,” said Reynolds.

“I’ll get back to the club and see what they say, but the aim is to play every game,” he said.

‘A comedy of errors’

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo spoke honestly about his team’s first-half performance.

“We were certainly humbled in the first half,” Ciraldo said.

“It just wasn’t good enough.”

“You can’t make the kinds of errors we did – penalties, seven-tackle sets – and expect to stay in the game against such a talented team.”

Ciraldo noted that while many players worked hard, “probably two or three were off,” and labelled their first 40-minutes as “a comedy of errors.”

Despite their terrible start, Ciraldo was encouraged by the Bulldogs’ response to win the second half.

“I know teams can take their foot off the gas when they’re ahead like the Broncos were, but I was proud of how we attacked in the second half – scoring 18 points and leaving a couple out there too.”

“I’m really proud of the second half, but filthy with the first,” he said.

Regarding the three sin-binning’s his team copped during the match, Ciraldo was less convinced.

“Don’t know if they were all fair,” he said.

“I’ll put that down to us trying too hard.”