Rampaging Broncos comeback falls short as Hull KR produce boilover
Updated . First published at
A delighted Ezra Mam turned to the crowd and mimicked a sexual act as the Brisbane Broncos threatened to snatch a comeback win over Hull KR in the World Club Challenge on Friday (AEDT).
When all was said and done, Mam and his Broncos teammates had nothing to be excited about.
Hull KR shot out to a 30-4 lead in the UK against an error-riddled Broncos outfit, and although the reigning NRL premiers piled on four consecutive tries in a rampaging second-half comeback, the hosts clung on to win 30-24.
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Mam performed the sexual gesture with his left hand after Gehamat Shibasaki crossed in the 66th minute to close the deficit to 30-20.
Shibasaki steamed onto a beautiful Reece Walsh cut-out to grab his second try of the game, played between the reigning premiers of the NRL and the Super League.
Hull KR celebrate their World Club Challenge victory. Getty
Kotoni Staggs then made it 30-24 with three minutes remaining when he got on the end of a long chain of passes.
Rather than grubbering the ball into touch with 20-odd seconds left on the clock, Hull KR five-eighth Mikey Lewis went for a chip and chase — a questionable play given the match scenario.
But as Walsh came charging back and a desperate Broncos side went in search of a length-of-the-field try, Josiah Karapani grassed a pass from the superstar fullback, ending Brisbane's victory hopes and sealing a boilover win for the Super League champions.
Although Shibasaki scored two tries, the Broncos centre also bombed two. In the 49th minute, he bobbled the ball just millimetres from the try line as he reached out with his right arm. And in the 75th minute, the Queensland Maroons bolter got his hands to a Ben Hunt chip only metres out from the try line, but couldn't control it.
Brisbane’s Patrick Carrigan, Deine Mariner and Shibasaki all scored tries between the 61st and 66th minutes, before Staggs continued the fightback in the 77th.
Hull KR's try-scorers were Tom Amone, Elliot Minchella, Joe Burgess, Oliver Gildart and Peta Hiku.
Hull KR's win made it three consecutive World Club Challenge victories for Super League teams, following the triumphs of St Helens in 2023 and the Wigan Warriors in 2024. It wasn’t held in 2025.
In just the second minute of this year's game, Broncos prop Corey Jensen finished up when he went low in a tackle and copped a blow to the head.
As Jensen was stumbling around in back-play, Hull KR captain Minchella dropped a forearm into the head of Mariner as the Brisbane winger returned a kick.
Minchella laid the shot in a four-man tackle and drew the ire of Walsh, who shoved the Hull KR skipper and got up in his grill.
Among the scuffles within the scuffle was a square-off between Broncos second-rower Jordan Riki and NRL discard Tyrone May.
Michael Maguire's team received a penalty and kicked down field but a rush of Hull KR tries followed, the hosts jumping out to an 18-0 lead inside the first 22 minutes of the match.
Hull KR fullback Arthur Mourgue left the field clutching at his right arm in the 33rd minute.
Hooker Jez Litten was awarded man of the match after starring for the home side.
The victory was another statement win for coach Willie Peters, who's expected to soon be at the helm of an NRL club.
