Haas down, Broncos claw way back with 22-20
A brutal reality check may have been given to boom prop Payne Haas by milestone man David Klemmer but it did not stop Brisbane edging Canterbury 22-20 in their NRL clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Backing up from last round's dream debut, the 19-year-old Haas lasted just six minutes off the bench on Thursday night before being concussed in a monster tackle by Bulldogs giant Klemmer.
Brisbane still clawed their way back from a 14-6 halftime deficit and clinched the match with a debatable penalty goal on fulltime.
Brisbane's Jamayne Isaako kicked the winning penalty in front of 22,225 fans after Bulldogs No.1 Moses Mbye was dubiously sinbinned for a professional foul on opposite number Darius Boyd as he tried to pounce on a kick to score.
Canterbury enforcer Klemmer seemed to want to make a point in his 100th game after Haas' stunning arrival last week, zeroing in on the hulking Broncos teenager as soon he came on the field in the 50th minute.
Klemmer delivered a crunching tackle to greet Haas but the damage was done the second time they met.
Klemmer hit Haas with everything in a bone rattling 56th minute effort, leaving the youngster dazed.
Haas was unsteady on his feet after somehow playing the ball and had to be assisted by Bulldogs forward Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Brisbane teammate Andrew McCullough before being taken off.
Desperate to spark the side after four losses in five games, Dogs coach Dean Pay rolled the dice at the selection table.
In sweeping changes, Pay replaced hooker Michael Lichaa with Jeremy Marshall- King, slotted Matt Frawley into pivot, promoted Danny Fualalo to starting prop at the expense of Klemmer and handed PNG international Rhyse Martin his NRL debut on the bench.
And it seemed to work with the Bulldogs leading 14-6 at halftime after PNG international Martin scored on NRL debut with his first touch in the fifth minute.
Canterbury delivered a body blow before halftime when Boyd slipped and Marcelo Montoya regathered a Kieran Foran kick to set up Frawley to score in the 38th minute.
But Brisbane locked up the scores 20-20 after bench forward Joe Ofahengaue ran off James Roberts and steamrolled Martin to score in the 75th minute.
AAP