Melbourne Storm v Brisbane: Six conclusions as Reece Walsh inspires 'largely written off' Broncos to mount 'the greatest charge' to Premiership title

Following the Brisbane Broncos’ 26-22 win over the Melbourne Storm in Accor Stadium, here are our key conclusions from an NRL Grand Final classic.

The top line

Brisbane Broncos mounted a famous second-half comeback to win their first Premiership title since 2006.

Things got off to a flying start for the Broncos, with Deine Mariner crossing after just three minutes, but Melbourne quickly shook that off to rally. Three tries in the next 20 minutes followed, with Nick Meaney, Eliesa Katoa and Will Warbrick crossing the whitewash. 

Reece Walsh later got one back for Brisbane, but that was quickly neutralised by a Jarome Hughes score just minutes later. Advantage Melbourne at the break.

But, it was simply one-way traffic in the second-half as Brisbane clawed their way back into the game. Gehamat Shibasaki’s brace either side of Mariner’s second try were enough to steer them to a historic title.

How good is rugby league

This was rugby league at its absolute best. It wasn’t your usual Grand Final in the first-half, which are usually cagey affairs, but it was just a remarkable game of outstanding attacking footie. Both teams came out and played with a real intent and desire to fling the ball wide.

The second-half was built on gritty defensive efforts from the eventual champions, but yet it was still as entertaining.

We were kept on the edge of our seats throughout the game, right until Brisbane’s late interception in the final act of the game.

Boy, what a sport we watch.

Reece Walsh, that’s it

‘Freak’ was the term Ben Hunt used to describe the Clive Churchill medalists during his full-time interview, and that’s probably the best way to describe him, to be honest. He was an absolute freak tonight.

Everything good about this Broncos win came through him. He dazzled ball-in-hand, dancing his way to a try in the first-half, but when both Adam Reynolds and Hunt left the pitch, he really stepped up into that playmaker role and impressed with some delicious assists. Backing that up, he came up with some pivotal tackles in defence, too, crucially all-but stopping Ryan Papenhuyzen from breaking through and scoring in the final set of the match too. He also stopped his opposite number earlier in the half, forcing him into a misplaced pass.

Walsh is a true rockstar within the sport, and tonight was another example of that. Magnificent.

Attonement

10 years ago, Ben Hunt stood on the losing side watching the North Queensland Cowboys lift the title, with his knock-on almost gifting the title to them, but tonight he leaves Sydney a Premiership winner.

The thoughts of many were with him, hoping one of the sport’s good guys would finally get to scratch that itch of 10 years, and he did just that. It might not have ended the way he would have liked, stumbling off the pitch after a hefty head knock, but yet he found himself playing a key role in their win. His distribution and guidance of the side allowed the likes of Walsh, Carrigan and Haas to really come into their own and claw Brisbane to the title.

It felt like a full circle moment, and it was rather fitting too.

The greatest title?

Brisbane were largely written off around the midway point of the season. Sat 11th in the table after 13 rounds, nobody was have expected them to come back and win the Premiership, but it’s what they’ve done. It’s surely one of the greatest charges to a Premiership title in NRL history.

Even getting into the eight seemed a tough ask at that point, but they rallied and finished the regular season in fourth. That then set up a date with Minor Premiership winners Canberra, who were largely expected to reach the Grand Final, but they again defied the odds to claim a golden point win in the Capital. After that, they prepared to take on reigning four-peat Premiers Penrith, the expert finalists, but again, they overcame a tough challenge to end one of sport’s greatest dynasties.

That then led them to Sydney and a date with Melbourne Storm. The 2024 Grand Finalists seemed destined to win it this time around, one year on from their heartbreaking defeat to Penrith, but Brisbane too have Grand Final history to correct after their own gutwrenching loss in 2023. And guess what? They did it again.

The NRL is littered with some of the very best teams the sport has ever had, especially in recent times, but this 2025 Broncos side should be remembered for defying the odds at every turn. The rugby league Gods were smiling on them.

History repeats itself

It’s an all-too familiar feeling for the Storm, who for the second successive year find themselves losing a Grand Final. It seemed like plain sailing for Craig Bellamy’s side at half-time, with them largely in cruise control, but they again let things slip in the second-half and allowed Brisbane to get back into their groove.

It wasn’t quite what happened last year, but that in itself makes it worse. This was there for the taking for Melbourne, but they couldn’t quite put their foot on the throat, which they had done in almost every game leading to tonight too.

This will sting for some time, but you can bet they will be back in the mix next year.

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