Sydney--The Brisbane Broncos produced a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort to hold out the Storm in Melbourne for a 14-12 win and stay on top of Australia's National Rugby League standings on Sunday.
Wayne Bennett's Broncos were forced into 12 goal-line drop-outs and 385 tackles but held firm in a gripping encounter.
Both teams were missing key players through injury and some were rested following Wednesday's NSW-Queensland State of Origin match in Melbourne.
Melbourne were without injured Test duo Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, while Queensland Maroons Corey Parker and Justin Hodges sat out the match for the Broncos.
The Broncos lead the competition on points differential from the North Queensland Cowboys, who relied on a Johnathan Thurston drop goal to claim their 11th consecutive win in a 21-20 cliffhanger over the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.
Thurston had a hand in all three Cowboys tries and also kicked two conversions, two penalty goals and the winning one-pointer in the final seconds.
New Zealand Test scrum-half Shaun Johnson propelled the Warriors to a 36-14 victory over the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday.
The 2014 Golden Boot winner set up two tries and scored two tries himself in a personal haul of 20 points as the Warriors clawed back from a 10-0 deficit to move to seventh on the standings.
The Canterbury Bulldogs rested NSW Origin backs Brett Morris and Trent Hodkinson and overcame the sin-binning of Josh Reynolds to power to a 24-12 victory over Penrith at the Olympic stadium on Saturday.
The Cronulla Sharks twice came back from 10 points down to defeat the Knights 30-28 in Newcastle on Sunday.
St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters complete the round on Monday, while defending champions South Sydney and Parramatta had byes.
AFP
