The Manly Sea Eagles NYC team have been defeated 52-36 by the Brisbane Broncos in their Round 10 clash at Suncorp Stadium.
A young Sea Eagles side, featuring a number of their SG Ball finals outfit, jumped to an early lead before the classy Broncos reeled them in.
Centre Dylan Strickland scored a double for the visitors, causing headaches for the Broncos defenders with each touch.
The Sea Eagles got off to the perfect start in the 10th minute when Regan Haika crossed for a 6-0 lead, but that was backed up just 4 minutes later by Clinton Gutherson who scored on debut to stretch the Sea Eagles out to 12-0.
Five-eighth Sam Short wriggled over near the right corner in the 18th minute on the end of a big set to push the Sea Eagles lead out further to 18-0.
But after establishing the lead the Sea Eagles couldn't maintain their early intensity, and Tristan Lumley grabbed the Broncos first points after a mistake from a Louis Frisby kick to bring the score back to 18-6.
Another of the SG Ball stars, Jack Trbojevic, almost got the Sea Eagles back on track three minutes later when he charged down a Broncos kick and then forced the ball loose after Brisbane regathered, but he was unable to control the ball as he dived on it.
The Broncos made the Sea Eagles pay for this mistake, with 4 more tries to Kodi Nikorima, Caleb Timu, Lumley and Mitchell Moore, the final try coming right on half time.
The Sea Eagles again started the better of the two sides, with centre Dylan Strickland grabbing his first try in the 45th minute on the back of a repeat set to bring the score back to 28-22, but the Broncos hit straight back in the 50th minute when Louis Frisby pushed the lead back out to 34-22.
They went back-to-back when Caleb Timu crossed in the 53rd minute to push the lead out to 40-22.
Nathan Cooper gave the Sea Eagles a sniff, crossing in the 58th minute to close the gap to 40-28, but Kodi Nikorima hit straight back, scoring after the Sea Eagles spilled his own bomb for a 46-28 lead.
Dylan Strickland scored his second in the 68th minute to bring the score back to 46-32, and when Justin Lemalu crossed in the 72nd minute to make it 46-36, a last minute miracle looked possible, but they were unable to cross again, and the Broncos put the result beyond doubt in the last minute when Kodi Nikorima finished off his hat-trick.
Whilst a disappointing result, the Sea Eagles played some of their best attacking football of the season and pushed the Broncos right to the end.
Next week they face the Roosters back at Brookvale Oval on Sunday, kicking off at 11:45am
