As it happened: Broncos ease Payne to send Haas out in style

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Special K: Josiah Karapani was enormous for the Broncos with 165 run metres, two tries and a whopping 13 tackle breaks. Like many of his team-mates, Karapani was off his game last week against the Storm but he bounced back in style at Accor Stadium as the Broncos notched their eighth win of the season.

Full-time: Payne Haas goes out a winner in his final game for the club he made his debut for back in 2018. Despite spending 10 minutes in the sin-bin, the star forward finished the match with 152 run metres (58 post-contact), 15 hit-ups, 40 tackles and a try.

79 min: The Broncos have one more roll of the dice and shift right with a two-man overlap but the ball is knocked down.

74 min: A big play from Galvin who grubbers for the in-goal which rebounds into Anderson who can't clean up the ball and the young halfback picks up the scraps to score his second career double. Broncos 34-20.

67 min: A consolation try for the Bulldogs. Kikau takes on the line and steam rolls Duffy to get one back for the home side. Broncos 34-16.

63 min: The Bulldogs finally put together some attack before Anderson intercepts a floating pass from Crichton. Anderson finds Tom Duffy in support who looks to take his side further ahead but the pass is ruled forward.

60 min: Bulldogs forward Jaeman Salmon leaves the field for a HIA.

56 min: Brisbane go left and Karapani tops off what's been arguably his game of the season with a superb put down in the corner following some nice lead up work from Hunt and Deine Mariner. That's four tries in 11 minutes for Michael Maguire's side. Broncos 34-10.

55 min: Broncos turn defence into attack after contact from Staggs forces a Bronson Xerri knock on and Anderson toys with the touchline 30m down field.  

51 min: Hunt's attack continues to haunt the Bulldogs with the veteran playmaker creating something out of nothing in the middle of the field before chipping cross field for Riki to score. Broncos 28-10.

48 min: Hunt winds back the clock, doing it all himself with a show-and-go from close range to beat Viliame Kikau and Semu to the line. Broncos 22-10.

47 min: Brisbane build more pressure on the line and earn several repeat sets in the Red Zone.

46 min: Bulldogs hooker Bailey Hayward is sent for a HIA which he later passed.

46 min: Bulldogs elect for the kick-off rule change and opt to receive the ball. Broncos go short and come up trumps with Anderson winning the race to the ball and tapping it back to Kotoni Staggs.

45 min: Broncos come out of the sheds firing. Pat Carrigan gets an offload away to Walters who looks wide to Grant Anderson and the winger streams down field before finding Walters in support to score. Broncos 14-10.

Half-time: We go to the break all square despite Brisbane playing down a player for 10 mins. The Broncos completed 16 of 20 sets at 80 per cent while the Bulldogs were 18 of 23 at 78 per cent. 

39 min: Connor Tracey lets a Hunt torpedo bounce and Crichton sends the ball dead to force a line dropout. Broncos get the ball back but put it down in the next set and points go begging for the visitors in the shadows of half-time.

35 min: Bulldogs go left with a silky set piece and a perfectly weighted Stephen Crichton cut out finishes the play to send Enari Tuala over untouched. Crichton's conversion attempt is wide. 10-10

33 min: Galvin and Preston combine again and this time Preston looks to Alekolasimi Jones in support but Hayze Perham does an incredible job to dive onto the pass and save a try. Bulldogs scrum 10m out.

29 min: Haas makes an impact on his return to the field, breaking through the line and finding Ezra Mam in space. Mam loops a ball to Va'a Semu to finish on the wing but the pass goes well over his head and into touch.

22 min: The Bulldogs go right. Galvin takes on the line and gets past some flimsy Broncos defence to open the Dogs' account. Broncos 10-6.

20 min: Bulldogs launch a captain's challenge for a Jaeman Salmon knock on. The bunker rules a one-on-one strip from Billy Walters followed by a Broncos knock on and the home side have the ball.

17 min: Ben Hunt puts up an awkward bomb and Kiraz fumbles the ball into the hands of Karapani who races away to score in the corner. Broncos 10-0.

15 min: The home side are on the attack and after repeated set restarts Haas is sent straight to the sin bin for holding onto Thompson in the ruck.

14 min: Bulldogs are winning the field position battle and Galvin forces a repeat set with Jordan Riki wrapped up in goal after picking up a grubber.

11 min: Bulldogs are on the attack and Lachlan Galvin looks to put Preston through the gap but the pass travels forward.

6 min: Payne Haas takes a hit up from 10m out and runs over Bailey Hayward to score the opening try in his final game as a Bronco. Broncos 6-0.

6 min: Bulldogs march their way down field but a Jacob Kiraz offload is picked up by Josiah Karapani and the Broncos are on the attack.

3 min: Good field position early for the Bulldogs with the Broncos pinned for ruck interference. The home side throw the ball around to keep the last play alive but Leo Thompson puts the ball down. 

 

Late Mail 

Bulldogs: A late change on game day sees Jack Underhill make way for Sean O'Sullivan on the bench. Jed Reardon is the other new face on the interchange. Experienced utility Kurt Mann remains sidelined with a groin injury.

Broncos: A late change for the visitors with Jack Gosiewski dropping out and Cameron Bukowski joining the interchange for his second NRL game. Blake Mozer (concussion) is replaced by Ben Talty. The Broncos have won eight of their last nine games against the Bulldogs.