Hufanga powers Brisbane to record NRLW thrashing
Mele Hufanga’s four-try haul has propelled Brisbane to their biggest NRLW victory, a 44-4 thrashing of Gold Coast that has the Broncos’ top-four tilt back on track.
Winless through the opening fortnight for a third straight season, the Broncos played like a completely different side as they welcomed five new faces into their 17 at Langlands Park.
Hufanga was the architect of a 22-0 halftime lead that all but confirmed victory with 35 minutes to play on Sunday, first throwing an offload that helped Julia Robinson open the scoring after four minutes.
She had two first-half tries of her own on the back of passes from Tazmin Rapana as the error-prone Titans struggled to readjust to the loss of Hufanga’s opposite player Niall Williams-Guthrie.
All four of the Broncos’ first-half tries came down Hufanga’s left edge, but Brisbane opened the game up after halftime, Ali Brigginshaw throwing the last passes for two tries down the right.
When she burst through the markers and dashed 60 metres, Hufanga had her second career hat-trick and the Broncos were on track to pass their biggest ever margin of victory – previously 34 points.
Hufanga confirmed the second four-try haul of her career, sliding over in the final 10 minutes.
It took a bizarre set of circumstances for the Titans to finally get themselves on the board after 50 minutes.
The ball became lodged under the left leg of Robinson in the in-goal, with Lauren Brown sliding in to ground her own kick and finally score the Titans’ first.
The loss was the Titans’ biggest since their inception four seasons ago and hands a reality check to last season’s runners-up, who had been undefeated through two rounds.
Earlier, Parramatta halves Cassey Tohi-Hiku and Rachael Pearson were at their scheming best in a 20-6 win over North Queensland.
The duo had room to work their magic on the back of powerhouse runs by middle forwards Elsie Albert, Tyla Amiatu and Kennedy Cherrington.
Tohi-Hiku’s running game was the perfect complement to Pearson’s game management and kicking nous.
The Cowboys made fundamental errors to allow the Eels to maximise territory and possession.
Pearson was the creator for the first try, with a long ball putting centre Rosie Kelly in space. The former Black Fern rugby union star did the rest and Pearson landed the sideline conversion.
Cowboys five-eighth Tahlulah Tillett showcased her slick ball-playing ability on several occasions, before sending barnstorming back-rower China Polata through a gap to level it up.
Tohi-Hiku was not to be outdone, but in her case it was with a powerful line break. Her quick play-the-ball enabled Rosemarie Beckett to make the most of the momentum and surge across the line.
Beckett dived over from dummy-half after the break for her second try to extend their lead.
Amiatu made two stellar runs and Pearson dug into the line before sending fullback Abbi Church over for the match sealer.
Church was one of her side’s best in a tremendous team display.
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