Dragons snap 15-game losing streak as Patrick Carrigan injures ankle
Updated . First published at
Brisbane suffered a shock defeat to the bottom-placed St George Illawarra on Sunday and lost gun middle forward Patrick Carrigan in the process – a blow that's sure to have Queensland coach Billy Slater sweating.
The Dragons claimed their first win under interim coach Dean Young – and snapped a 15-game losing streak – as they stunned the reigning premiers 30-26 at Suncorp Stadium.
And the full-time scoreline flattered the Broncos, who trailed 30-8 before piling on three converted tries in the final 11 minutes.
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The Dragons snapped a 15-game losing streak in a boilover victory against the Broncos on Sunday. Getty
After Adam Reynolds converted an 80th-minute Jesse Arthars try from the right touchline, the Broncos had 16 seconds to go the length of the field for an astonishing escape – but Ben Hunt put in a kick for a chasing Josiah Karapani and it landed in the lap of Tyrell Sloan.
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Dragons players broke out in euphoria as Sloan ran down the remaining few seconds on the clock. Front-rower Toby Couchman ran towards Sloan with his hands flung above his head and co-captain Clint Gutherson, who had finished the game on the bench, bounced onto the field pumping his fists.
In the coaches' box, Young gazed down at his team with a proud smile.
The Dragons hadn't won a game since round 23 of last season. Of the 15 consecutive games they lost, 11 came this season.
As the Dragons savour the long-awaited win on the trip home, the Broncos will be licking their wounds after slumping to four consecutive losses.
Michael Maguire's team has lost to the Roosters, Sea Eagles, Warriors and Dragons in their past four games, and could finish the round in 12th on the ladder.
Compounding the form slump is the injury to Carrigan, who finished the game with an ice pack wrapped around his left ankle.
He got his ankle heavily strapped after injuring it early in the game, and although he tried to play through the pain, he eventually succumbed.
The 28-year-old is a key member of the Queensland forward pack and he will be sorely missed in game two of the State of Origin series in Melbourne on June 17 if he's not available.
Maroons squad member Ezra Mam also gave Slater a scare when he suffered his own lower-leg injury, although the playmaker returned to the field after a brief stint on the sideline.
In a positive sign for Laurie Daley's Blues, superstar prop Payne Haas produced a scintillating game in his return from a knee injury.
Rugby league's best front-rower racked up a match-high 281 run metres from 23 carries, broke out of seven tackles, made a line break and tallied 33 tackles.
He also played the entire 80 minutes.
