Wounded Broncos’ finals chances fading after Panthers win gutsy GF rematch: What we learned

The Panthers showed their class once again with a gutsy 14-6 win in the grand final rematch that has left the Broncos’ top four chances on life support.

Brisbane needed to win this one a lot more than their rivals but when it really mattered it was Penrith who came up with the big plays at Suncorp Stadium.

Kevin Walters’ men led 6-4 at halftime but didn’t trouble the scoreboard in the second half as the three-time reigning premiers grinded their way to victory.

The Panthers are now outright second on the ladder and up to their eyeballs in claiming a fourth minor premiership in five years, and fourth straight title.

Penrith playmaker Jack Cole scored the opener on Friday night with his first touch of the ball after finishing a nice team try in the 11th minute.

Cole had only just onto the field to replace Dane Laurie who limped up the tunnels with a hamstring injury.

In his first game for the Broncos in 40 days, Reece Walsh showed his blistering speed to make a break then burn Panthers rival Dylan Edwards and score in the 27th minute.

But the hosts lost halfback Jock Madden for the night in the 42nd minute when he tore his hamstring, an injury that will tests the Brisbane’s halves stocks.

The Panthers opened the scoring in the second half with an incredible try against the run of play.

They were allowed to catch a nothing bomb that was put up on halfway and two passes and a grubber later and Brian To’o finished in the corner.

The Broncos looked exhausted in the second half as Penrith just kept grinding away and hooker Mitch Kenny sealed it when he darted out of dummy-half to score in the 69th minute.

Here are the three biggest talking points out of the match.

BRONCOS’ FINALS HOPES FADING

The Broncos have now lost five in a row for the first time since 2020, when they won the wooden spoon, and they could sit 12th by the end of the round.

They’re going to need to win six of their final eight games just to play finals this year.

Brisbane face the Dragons, Knights, Bulldogs, Titans, Cowboys, Eels, Dolphins and Storm to finish the season.

“In my experience in rugby league, if you keep training well and turning up and putting in the effort we did tonight, it will turn,” coach Kevin Walters said.

“I’ve been at clubs as a player and an assistant coach where we’ve lost five games in a row, I think the record at the Broncos is eight or nine, we don’t want to break that record.

“It’s just sticking together. We’ve got an Origin game to get through now as well, which is part of it, but once we get the crew back together, we’ll set sail for a strong finish to the season.

It’s just not there for us at the moment.”

NRL great James Graham said on Fox League that Brisbane should have kicked on from last year’s grand final.

“It can be quite frightening when you’re a Broncos supporter looking at that ladder and how it might look on Sunday evening,” Graham said.

“The situation is this, you need 13 wins to play finals football and the Broncos have eight games left, so they need to find six victories.

“It’s pretty tough as well, next week they play the Dragons, both teams without their Origin players and then backing up from Origin they take on Newcastle.

“Somehow they need to find six wins and you’d even say it’s a disappointment if the Broncos don’t make the top four.

“Look back at last year’s grand final, earth shattering (result) but the talk was it was going to be the building of this Broncos’ team.

“That was the best 40 minutes to start a game that I’ve seen from the Broncos all season, but it makes you wonder, where was that against the Titans, against South Sydney… had they won those two games then we’re not talking about them missing the top eight, we’re talking about them in the top four but they’re nowhere near that at the moment.”

THE GAME-CHANGING MOMENT

Kangaroos, Blues and Panthers workhorse Liam Martin is known for his effort plays and they were full display in a match-turning moment on Friday night.

It was Martin who chased down a nothing bomb put up on halfway and hauled it in before finding Lindsay Smith who put Brian To’o over to score.

“That was a really good example of competing,” Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said.

“I thought it was a tough game with a lot of end to end footy and it’s just all those little moments that make the difference. And usually those moments are won by the players who are prepared to compete the hardest and that was a good example of not just competing but the ability to actually get the job done.

“That was a pivotal moment in the game, definitely.”

Martin also made two try-saving tackles and the backrower was arguably the difference between the sides.

“I just felt like the boys really wanted to win tonight and however it was going to work out they were going to find a way to do it and that gives us a lot of heart for the future,” Cleary said.

BRONCOS WALKING WOUNDED

The Broncos injury ward grew again on Friday night with Jock Madden limping off with a serious hamstring injury.

It means Kevin Walters is down to his fourth-string No. 7 and the coach confirmed they’ll need to go outside their top 30 to field a side.

Brisbane halfbacks Madden, Adam Reynolds and untested rookie Cody Black are all sidelined which will see Josh Rogers handed the reins against the Dragons next weekend.

“(Madden) will be (out) for a good month or longer,” Walters said.

“(Rogers) has got the bye this week (in Queensland Cup) so he’ll be right to go next Saturday against the Dragons.

“He was outstanding (in his last game for the Broncos) so it’s good for him, not so good for Jock but pretty good for him to get another crack at this level.

“(Ben) Te Kura is still a mile off. We get (Jordan) Riki back next week from suspension and Kotoni (Staggs) comes back as well which is a big help.

“We’re going to have to go outside the top 30 now, Jock down tonight, we’ll have two or three in Origin, possibly four.

“But we’ll get enough jerseys and we’ll be out there next week to take on the Dragons.”