Face of Nation : A superb Saturday of NRL starts with a huge clash between top four contenders Souths and Manly before Cameron Smith plays his 400th for the Storm.
The NRL has had its first draw in three seasons as the Brisbane Broncos and New Zealand Warriors could not be split after 90 minutes of action.
An Isaac Luke penalty goal in the 76th minutes drew the sides level at 18-all but the halves couldn’t find the matchwinning field goal in the extra-time shootout.
With just over two minutes remaining, the Warriors looked to crash over for a try instead of worrying about the field goal but Broncos prop came back to make a thrilling come-from-behind tackle to leave Chanel Harris-Tevita just metres short. “That is incredible,” Michael Ennis yelled as Haas made the match saver.
The Warriors almost did it again with former Broncos Kodi Nikorima taking a shot from 40m out with a minute left but the ball just shaded the post to the left. Commentator Warren Smith said they were “remarkable scenes” after the epic encounter.
It leaves the finals hopes of both sides up in the air. The Broncos reeled in a 16-6 halftime deficit but it wasn’t enough to avoid the first draw since round 21 in 2016 when Cronulla and the Gold Coast Titans 18-all.
Both sides struggled to nail a golden point-winning field goal with six attempts all missing.
Both sides now languish three points outside the top eight. Brisbane appeared to have iced the result when teenage back-rower David Fifita backed up from Queensland’s heart breakingState of Origin series defeat to score a blockbusting 66th minute try.
Fifita, 19, cut through five defenders to give the hosts an 18-16 lead with the Warriors’ will seemingly broken.
However the visitors got a final chance to send the match into overtime when Tevita Pangai were penalised for a strip in the 77th minute and hooker Issac Luke coolly stepped up to slot the kick.
