The Broncos looked barely recognisable on Friday night as they relied on a stern defence to give the Storm a sense of deja vu, producing a stunning comeback from 14-0 down to win the Grand Final rematch 18-14.
After starting the season 0-2 due to a leaky defence, the Broncos looked like a different team on Friday night as they won their first match at AAMI Park since 2016.
Despite Melbourne being well on top at halftime, Brisbane dug deep to stay in the game before producing yet another stirring second-half comeback.
After conceding 30 points in their World Club Challenge loss, the Broncos were held scoreless by Penrith 26-0 and then stunned by the Eels 40-32.
Yet Round 3 was a different story entirely. After a slow start, the Broncos switched into gear in the second half, looking like the side that came back to beat Melbourne in last year’s grand final.
It was their main man Reece Walsh who started the comeback, hitting the line with speed, attracting multiple Storm defenders before slipping the ball out to a charging Jordan Riki to run through for a much-needed try.
The back rower quickly grabbed a brace as he went over in the corner before Kotoni Staggs put a nightmare first half behind him by bursting through the smallest of gaps to give Brisbane the lead.
From there they held on gamely to hand the Storm their first loss of the season, and given their recent struggles, Cooper Cronk was impressed with the heart on show on Friday night.
“When you are down 14-0 to one of the better clubs in the competition and your defence is still like this, there is a lot you can build on for the rest of the season,” Cooper Cronk said in Kayo commentary.
“That desperation defence to keep points at a minimum so Reece Walsh can come up with a play and Jordan Riki can score. There is a lot for Michael Maguire to build on.
“Yes they have got off to a slow start but coming back from 14-0 at Melbourne doesn’t happen that often. There is a lot the Brisbane Broncos should take away from that.”
“ … When the Brisbane Broncos do all the fundamentals of our game, support Walsh, Carrigan and Riki, geez they’re a good team.
“But when they are ill-disciplined with two many errors, they just middle of the road. They cannot get down to 14-0 every time and expect to win those games. But I tell you what, when they do they come out playing really good.”
While former Broncos coach Kevin Walters was equally impressed and pointed to their defence as to why they won the game.
“Let’s give the Broncos’ scramble defence some credit as well. There was a couple of times the Storm looked like they were going to score, but a Broncos player, or two or three, turned up,” he said.
“Well done to the Broncos tonight. Good win.”
Fans also were impressed at the hunger shown by the defending premiers.
“Incredible second half guys. Absolutely dreadful first 40 to then come back and hold the footy and work so hard in defence is a real credit,” one fan commented on X.
“Great performance lads, defence much improved. Here we come,” another said.
“Whatever was said at HT worked and worled wonders. We let our playmaker in Walsh play and Storm got shredded. First half was terrible and needs to be called out. Second half superb though. Discpline improved. Structure improved. Fundamentals done right, we win,” a third wrote.
Yet despite the positive signs Cronk warned the Broncos can’t now get complacent again, instead must use the win as a building block for the 2026 campaign.
“The challenge for the Broncos is you can’t go up and down for the next eight weeks. You’ve made a statement to the competition, got a lot of confidence back in their group,” he said.
“They should continue on. Just don’t be so erratic with the fundamentals of the game.
“It’ll keep you closer in the games. They are way too talented to be forcing their hand at 14-0 and trying to find ways to win games.”
More to come.
