Carlaw Frustrated by Winless Start
by Trad McLean
Saturday March 31, 2007
Dane Carlaw summed up the Ergon Energy Broncos triple-loss start to the season with one word today – frustrating.
Brisbane lost their third game straight when Penrith came from an impossible position to snatch a 29-28 golden-point win at Suncorp Stadium last night.
Led by a four-try effort from Justin Hodges – who had only passed a fitness test on an injured knee hours before kick-off – the Broncos looked to have the points sewn up, leading 28-20 with three minutes left.
But a freak try from Penrith's Michael Jennings, who ran 80 metres to score after grabbing a defelected kick, brought it back to 28-24.
Then as the siren sounded Panthers' fullback Rhys Wesser jumped on another deflected kick to lock the match up.
In the eighth minute of extra time Penrith rookie Peter Wallace banged over a 42-metre field goal to steal the Panthers an unlikely win.
It was the third consecutive week the Broncos had lost control of a game.
"It's very frustrating," said Carlaw (pictured).
"We are putting the effort in but then shooting ourselves in the foot.
"It is heartbreaking, especially to go to extra time and then lose.
"We were playing like we were chasing points, and we didn't need to."
In a see-sawing first half, two Darren Lockyer penalties gave the home side a 4-0 lead.
Penrith winger Michael Gordon scored his first try, but Hodges went over to make it 8-6 to the Broncos.
Gordon again answered for Penrith but when Hodges got his second in the 31st minute, Brisbane were up 14-10.
However Jennings snatched an intercept and bolted 90 metres for his first try, and Luke Lewis scored on halftime for a 20-14 Panthers lead.
Hodges grabbed his own long-range intercept try just after the break, and by the 47th minute he had equalled the Broncos' game try-scoring record with his fourth touchdown of the night.
The Broncos got out to an eight-point lead with a Lockyer penalty in the 68th minute before Penrith's whirlwind finish.
It left Broncos' coach Wayne Bennett tight lipped after the match.
"He didn't have to say much to us – we were eight points ahead with three minutes to go," said Carlaw.
"It shouldn't happen."
PENRITH 29 (M Gordon 2, M Jennings 2, L Lewis, R Wesser tries; M Gordon 2 goals, P Wallace field goal) defeated BRISBANE 28 (J Hodges 4 tries; D lockyer 6 goals) at Suncorp Stadium.
Crowd: 24,582.