Broncos NRLW 2019 season by the numbers

Brisbane created history by becoming the first side to win back-to-back NRL Holden Women Premierhip titles but the second year of triumph proved a far tougher ask. 

While their 30-6 thumping of St George Illawarra in the NRLW grand final proved a dominant result, the Broncos suffered their first loss in the competition only a fortnight earlier and generally found points harder to come by than in the previous season. 

Pre-season injuries, departures and form all threatened them at stages but under new coach Kelvin Wright, the belief was still there. 

After being virtually written off before a ball was kicked with the pre-season favouritism tag handed to the Dragons, it was the defending champions who instead went all the way again with strong team chemistry boosting them in the short-format competition.

Snapshot

The Broncos entered the second season of the Holden Women's Premiership with the highest amount of player retainment (53%) in the league from the 2018 season.

The signings of international representatives Raecene McGregor, Annette Brander and Tazmin Gray were enough to cover the players they lost to rivals, while the emergence of Millie Boyle and Amber Hall up front proved a dominant combination.

The squad's average player age of 26.6 was ranked second oldest in the competition behind the Warriors (28).  

Not even former Jillaroos prop Heather Ballinger could manage a game for the side, while other fellow veteran Stephanie Hancock provided impact from the bench. 

Chelsea Baker, another experienced representative, was also left out of the NRLW grand final with rising outside back Tamika Upton preferred in the end. 

The side's 2-1 record in regular season did not include the NRLW grand final, in which the Broncos took out in convincing fashion at ANZ Stadium on the biggest day of the year.

Attack

Brisbane finished the regular season with an average of three tries per game after accumulating 12 line breaks across the three rounds.

Their 26.3 tackle break average was third lowest in the competition but the Broncos still scored a league-high 72 points across four games. 

Bullocking forward Rona Peters finished the season as the club's leading try scorer with two tries.

Broncos quartet Amber Hall, Amy Turner, Millie Boyle and Mariah Storch all remarkably finished in the top 10 for most runs with 34 each – Boyle accumulating 316 metres from her carries. 

Turner (11) and Amber Pilley (9) finished in the NRLW's top 10 for most tackle busts. 

Brisbane's goal-kicking during the opening three rounds was their only real downfall with Chelsea Baker struggling with a 30% success rate.

Meg Ward, who slotted five conversions from six attempts in the NRLW grand final, brought the team's overall figure to 56.7% for the year.

Discipline

Brisbane finished mid-ranked in terms of errors and missed tackles in a fairly disciplined month overall but were the most penalised team in the competition with 19 penalties. 

Rona Peters and Amber Hall topped the competition with five penalties conceded apiece, while Ali Brigginshaw (2) finished in the top six. 

Their missed tackle average per game of 27.3 was significantly down on last season while they conceded just five line breaks. 

Bench utility Mariah Storch was ranked third for most missed tackles with 10, while Broncos hooker Lavinia Gould missed nine in three games. 

Gould topped the tackle count for the Broncos with 84 for the regular season with Rona Peters (79), Millie Boyle and Mariah Storch (both 67) in the competition's top 10 for effective efforts. 

Boyle (5) and Amber Pilley (3) finished in the NRLW's top 10 for effective one-on-one tackles.

Supports

The Broncos were well ahead of their opposition in support play with an average of 97 per game, 16.7 clear of the next best Dragons. 

Of particular note, the 2019 champions significantly increased their support play in the second halves of games with six of their nine tries scored coming in the final 30 minutes of matches.

Chelsea Baker and Raecene McGregor (both 33) led the way for the side with Ali Brigginshaw (30), Amber Pilley (24) and Mariah Storch (23) all finishing in the top 10 for supports.

Warriors captain Georgia Hale led the competition with 44 supports at an average of 14.7 per outing.

Metres conceded per set

It was highlighted in the NRLW grand final but the line speed of the Broncos proved too tough an ask for the opposition in 2019. 

It was a trademark of the Broncos' game in the lead-up to the decider with Kelvin Wright's outfit conceding just 32 metres per set – the best of any team in the competition by more than five metres.

In return they were ranked third with 37.8 metres gained per set on average. 

Millie Boyle (105.3 metres), Julia Robinson (95.5 metres) and Amy Turner (95 metres) were among the side's most consistent yardage makers. 

Dragons trio Botille Vette-Welsh (160 metres), Maitua Feterika (157.7 metres) and Jess Sergis (153.7 metres) finished in the top three with Roosters pair Isabelle Kelly (115.7 metres) and Corban McGregor (114.3 metres) the competition's next best.