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Brisbane Broncos coach Kevin Walters says "things have got to change" after his side slipped to a sixth-straight NRL defeat, leaving their finals hopes hang by a thread.
The Broncos fell the wrong side of a 30-26 reverse against the Dragons at Lang Park, having trailed 28-6 early in the second half.
They conceded seven penalties and made 10 errors in the match, much to Walters' frustration.
"Just the fundamental errors, the simple errors. We can't keep doing that. We paid the price again tonight," Walters said.
"It's not changing is it? Once one thing happens, it triggers another.
"The thing that annoys me, I just know that we're so much a better team than what we're doing.
"I'm just disappointed that's what we throw up.
"I'm disappointed in myself as a coach that that's what's being presented consistently.
"That's not good enough, that rests on me."
Brisbane has not won a game since Magic Round, including four defeats at Lang Park.
The finals-hunting Dragons led 22-6 at half-time after a stunning performance from their outside backs, whose power drove over three quick tries.around the half-hour mark.
A Christian Tuipulotu double and tries to Mosese Suli and Jaydn Su'A had the Dragons roaring, with a Billy Walters score the only reply for a bitterly disappointing Broncos side.
The Dragons ran rampant against the Broncos in the first half.(Getty Images: Albert Perez)
A third try to Tuipulotu put the Dragons 28-6 up, but that's when the Broncos fired up, scoring four unanswered tries to set up a thrilling finale.
Ezra Mam, Blake Mozer and two do-or-die tries to Kotoni Staggs gave the Broncos a chance of what would have been a miracle comeback.
However, last year's beaten grand finalists ran out of time and drop to13th on the NRL ladder, needing to win six of their last eight matches to make finals.
"I believe we can do it, but it's about these fellas," Walters said.
"Things have got to change though.
"If we change our mentality and our habits right now, [but] it's been that way for a long time."
Earlier, the Gold Coast Titans earned a third-straight NRL victory, beating Parramatta Eels 24-16 at Robina stadium
Three tries in 11 first-half minutes saw the hosts leap into an 18-0 lead, which was just too much for the disappointing Eels to overcome.
Alofiana Khan-Pereira scored two of those tries, with Phillip Sami adding the third before Luca Moretti was gifted a score by an errant pass by the returning AJ Brimson just before the break.
Brian Kelly added to the Titans' lead shortly after half-time, before Will Penisini and Clint Gutherson crossed to set up a tense final half hour.
Jayden Campbell supplied three try assists on his return from a hand injury in an impressive performance.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
That's where we'll leave you
Another tough night for the Broncos and their supporters, who have a rough road ahead of them if they are to make finals.
(Getty Images)
It's been a good night of rugby league though, with the Dragons back into the top eight (at least for about 20 hours or so) and the Titans continuing their impressive run.
We'll be back tomorrow for the final game of this truncated pre-Origin round and, of course, we'll also be back for the big one at Lang Park on Wednesday night for Origin III.
Thanks for being with us this evening, from myself and Nick Campton, good night.
'What we did in the first half got us the win': Flanagan
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan is speaking now.
"The first 40 was Dragons like, adn the first 10 of the second half was pretty good as well," he says.
"We let them come back at us in the second half, but we were good enough to get away with it.
"That first 40 was something I was really proud of and it's the sort of club that we want to be.
"Our back five played really well.
"What we did in the first half got us the win."
'We can't keep doing that': Kevin Walters
Kevin Walters is speaking at Lang Park.
He says it "certainly wasn't" what he had hoped for at the start of the game.
"Just the fundamental errors, the simple errors. We can't keep doing that. We paid the price again tonight," he says.
"It's not changing is it?
"Once one thing happens, it triggers another.
"I don't know.
"The thing that annoys me, I just know that we're so much a better team than what we're doing.
"I'm just disappointed that's what we throw up.
"I'm disappointed in myself as a coach that that's what's being presented consistently. That's not good enough, that rests on me."
The Broncos, last year's grand finalists, need to win six of their next eight games to make it to the finals.
"I believe we can do it, but it's about these fellas," he says.
"Things have got to change though.
"If we change our mentality and our habits.
"Right now, it's been that way for a long time."
Walters says that he will have to make a decision about whether he plays his Origin players next week, backing up from Wednesday's decider.
Errors and discipline killing the Broncos
Brisbane made 10 errors, conceded seven penalties and have three players on report from that game.
The discipline has been terrible from the Broncos.
Walters gives Broncos a spray and walks out of the change room
Kevin Walters is absolutely furious.
We've just been shown on the TV him walking into the dressing rooms, stalking around at a very subdued looking group, gesticulating at them, and then walking out again.
The pressure is really mounting for the Broncos.
The Dragons hold on to claim thrilling win
(Getty Images)
The Dragons hold off a stunning late comeback from the Brisbane Broncos to claim a memorable 30-26 victory.
The Dragons led 22-6 at half-time after a Christian Tuipulotu double and tries to Mosese Suli and Jaydn Su'A put the visitors in control.
A third try to Tuipulotu put the Dragons 28-6 up only for the Broncos to score four unanswered tries and set up a grandstand finale.
Ezra Mam, Blake Mozer and two do-or-die tries to Kotoni Staggs gave the Broncos a chance.
However, the hosts ran out of time, falling to a sixth-straight defeat to fall to 13th on the NRL ladder and leave their finals hopes hanging by a thread.
80' The Broncos have 30 seconds to go 80 metres
78' Kotoni Staggs scores in the corner!
How on Earth have the Broncos managed to turn that set into a try!
They seemed a bit lost, a bit clueless there, but they've managed to get the ball out to Kotoni Staggs, so scored in the corner!
Staggs sends the ball hooking across the face of the goal posts and it misses! Just!
The score is 30-26.
The Broncos need a try to complete a miracle comeback.
73' Blake Mozer scores!
The Broncos are not done yet!
Mozer picks up the ball from dummy half after an excellent set from the Broncos, and dives over.
Brilliant stuff from the Runaway Bay youngster!
The kick is good and the Broncos trail by just eight!
70' Dragons penalty
A late tackle from Kotoni Staggs - looks a tough soft in truth, but the Dragons wont care.
Kyle Flannagan is going to kick for goal and that might well be enough for the Dragons to start to breathe easy.
The kick is good!
The Dragons lead 30-16.
68' Kotoni Staggs throws an intercept!
Jacob Liddle is on hand to take the pass from Kotoni Staggs as the Broncos probe and test the Dragons defences.
A chance goes begging for the Broncos - and that might just be a huge play for Liddle.
64' Kotoni Staggs does it all himself!
That is a sensational score from Kotoni Staggs!
He has raced from inside his own 30 after being fed the ball by Sailor, bust through two tackles and then races past the cover of Jesse Marschke to score in the corner!
Game on?
The kick is important, but it's missed.
The sore is 28-16, and there's just over 15 minutes left.
It would still take an almighty ask, but the Lang Park crowd is roaring - and believing.
60' Broncos come close
The Broncos go very close! But the Dragons get enough numbers back to haul Staggs back from the brink of scoring.
The Broncos move the ball to the left and Corey Oates is diving for the line but is bundled into touch.
There's a bit going on out there - the Broncos, after going so close are absolutely flying into tackles now.
58' Penalty Broncos!
Mosese Suli is pinged for dragging the tackled player into touch.
Referee Liam Kennedy tells Kyle Flanagan, in no uncertain terms, that there is no chance of them winning a challenge. Flanagan challenges anyway.
Aaand they lose the challenge.
55' Ezra Mam scores!
The Broncos needed that so badly!
Ezra Mam crashes over from short range, ripping away from the tackle of Tyrell Sloan.
Sloan gets another earful from the Broncos after they score a try - at this rate he'll be happy they've only scored two.
But there is plenty of feeling out there - the Broncos don't like they meek way they've been treated by their opposition in this match.
The kick's good and it's 28-12.
54' Now Francis Molo is on report
He has grabbed the hair of Martin Taupau!
Talk about pulling the tail of the lion...
Back-to-back penalties for the Broncos.
54' Brendan Piakura on report
Interesting, Brendan Piakura has been put on report after Hame Sele gave away a penalty.
I think the Piakura report was for a high shot on Jesse Marschke.
46' The Dragons blow a chance
It could have got even worse for the Broncos there.
This time the Broncos fail to diffuse a kick and the Dragons spin it right.
Max
Feagai gets the ball and then throws a dummy that actually slips out of his hand and loses the ball with the line just begging to be crossed.
44' Christian Tuipulotu has a hat-trick
(Getty Images)
The left is where the Dragons have been having so much joy, and it's the left where the Dragons score their first of the second half.
Very, very simple stuff from Christian Tuipulotu, just sliding over in the corner.
That's his first hat-trick in first grade.
The kick from Flanagan is good and it's 28-6.
41' We're back underway
Lang Park sounds pretty subdued to be honest.
They'll want to see plenty from their side in this second half, especailly defensively.
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