Fifita fires as Broncos make themselves at home in new Cowboys stadium

There were so many storylines as the NRL took its inaugural Coronavirus Round to Townsville. The first match at the Cowboys new stadium might well be the last for a while and, after a stint in the NFL, Valentine Holmes was back playing for his foundation code.

Should the fans at Queensland Country Bank Stadium have been locked out due to the unfolding health crisis? History might well show the NRL's generosity to its Townsville faithful to be a folly, but at least David Fifita gave them a highlight to watch time and again during self-isolation.

Tevita Pangai gets a piggy-back ride from Jason Taumalolo.Credit:AAP

There was a huge build-up in Queensland's north but it was an inauspicious start for the home side to say the least. Kyle Feldt thumped it out on the full from the kick-off to give Brisbane the first look at their tryline.

It only resulted in a report for Tevita Pangai, who was suspended three times last season, after a late shot on Justin O'Neill.

Holmes went through all the emotions in his first 15 minutes back in the NRL. He lost the ball with his first touch, then dropped one on his own line when he tried to gather in a nightmare, swirling bomb sent forth by Anthony Milford.

He rounded that off when he fell for a huge dummy from Jake Turpin to allow the Brisbane rake to give the visitors at 6-0 lead, only to cross for one himself soon after to bring the Cowboys back within two points.

The teams traded tries through Kotoni Staggs and Feldt, while Michael Morgan helped himself to a field goal on the stroke of half-time as the Broncos meandered off with a 12-9 lead at the break.

That was quickly extended to 18-9 when Pangai crossed three minutes into the second half, picking up the crumbs from a kick from Brodie Croft, who had been impressive in his debut for the Red Hill giants.

With the Cowboys needing the next score, Mitch Dunn inexplicably through a dummy when he had an open Ben Hampton on his outside, who was staring at a deserted tryline. It was exceedingly costly, because Fifita made it so with an early candidate for try of the season.

The edge forward smashed his way through to gallop 70m and score under the posts, put Brisbane beyond reach even though the Cowboys counterpunched to make things interesting in the final 10 minutes.

Brisbane now head back to Suncorp Stadium to host South Sydney, a fixture that would normally draw a crowd of close to 50,000. Now, it will be played in front of empty stands as the NRL implements coronavirus protocols.

"It will be quite bizarre," Seibold said. "I'm not sure how it will work, the financial implications. But I understand from a health perspective, it's being lead by the government and support what the guidelines are. But you have to do your job whether there is 50,000 or nobody there."

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