Reece Walsh has conjured up one of the greatest grand-final performances of all time to break Brisbane’s premiership drought with a 26-22 win over Melbourne.
In a decider for the ages at Accor Stadium, the Broncos came from 22-12 down at halftime to stun the Storm and claim their first premiership since 2006.
Brisbane completed the comeback without Adam Reynolds who limped off in the second half, before halves partner Ben Hunt also suffered a concussion with eight minutes left.
Ezra Mam stepped up for the Broncos with a try assist and big defensive play swinging the match, after a year where he has dominated headlines.
But ultimately it was Walsh who was the hero, with his electric attack outdoing a superb first half from Melbourne’s all-star big four.
The Brisbane star beat five men to score a superb first-half try, set up three others and produced three try-saving plays to take the Broncos to their seventh premiership.
The fullback’s outing was a fitting end to a finals series he has dominated, saving Brisbane against both Canberra and Penrith.
But as good as Walsh’s finish was in the 94-minute epic against the Raiders earlier this month, Sunday night was something special.
With Brisbane trailing by 10 at the break, Walsh kept the Broncos in the match when he first scrambled to stop Tui Kamikamica getting a ball down.
From the next set Mam stood up, sending Gehamat Shibasaki over on the left edge and breathing life back into the game.
Walsh then unleashed three minutes of attacking brilliance, with his quick hands first sending Deine Mariner over with a cut-out ball to make it a two-point game.
And with 23 minutes left Brisbane had the lead when Walsh got the ball, accelerated and threw another cut-out ball for Shibasaki to grab his second.
Then with Melbourne fighting to take back the lead, Walsh produced two more try-saving plays to keep the Broncos on top.
The fullback first chased down opposite number Ryan Papenhuyzen when he broke from a scrum, before another last-line-of-defence tackle on the Storm No.1 in the dying minutes.
Brisbane’s efforts to hold on came after they capitulated in similar circumstances two years ago against Penrith, when 10 of the same players gave up a 16-point lead in the decider.
Earlier, Walsh was the one shining light for Brisbane in a first half dominated by Melbourne.
The No.1 laid on the fastest grand-final try of the NRL era when he burst onto a ball in the fourth minute, bust through Jack Howarth and sent a cut-out ball Deine Mariner’s way.
But the next 15 minutes were all Melbourne, as the Storm shot to a 16-6 lead off the back of Harry Grant, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Ryan Papenhuyzen.
The quartet all combined to send Nick Meaney over for the Storm’s first, before Hughes grubber-kicked for Eliesa Katoa to get Melbourne’s second.
Katoa then turned provider for the Storm’s next, with a long cut-out ball for winger Will Warbrick to score, before Walsh’s superb six-pointer made it 16-12.
But when Hughes stepped off his right twice to beat Brisbane’s defence and score just before the break, Melbourne led 22-12 and appeared premiers in waiting.
It was a big day for Brisbane with the club also winning the NRLW.
Brisbane centre Mele Hufanga scored the match-winning try and collected the Karyn Murphy Medal in her side’s 22-18 upset of minor premiers Sydney Roosters in a gripping 2025 NRLW grand final.
Hufanga embodied Brisbane’s never-say-die attitude at Accor Stadium on Sunday with her 16 runs for 199 metres including 17 tackle-busts. Her try in the 65th minute swung the premiership the Broncos’ way for the fourth time in NRLW history.
The Roosters had put on three unanswered tries in the second half, coming from 12-0 down at the break to lead 18-12 with nine minutes left.
But then up stepped Hufanga.
“When it came down to the last four minutes, I just remember telling (five-eighth) Gayle (Broughton) ‘I want the ball; I want the ball’,” Hufanga said.
“We ran one of our plays and as soon as the ball touched my hand I was going to get over that line.”
Several replays were needed to show ball touching grass as Roosters second rower Jasmin Strange tried desperately to keep her hand underneath.
Roosters coach John Strange said he wasn’t sure the replays showed clearly the ball being grounded.
“We kept fighting and a couple of those decisions could have gone either way, so that’s out of our control,” he said.
“I was just really proud of the girls. It’s a weird feeling for me. I know they lost that game but I feel really happy and that comes from the pride I have in coaching these girls.”
The match was played at breakneck speed and several players needed patching up before playing on.
“We were trying to get girls off in the second half. Keeley (Davis) couldn’t see out of her right eye but she didn’t want to come off.
“Rima (Butler) may have a fractured cheekbone and she didn’t want to come off. Brydie (Parker) smashed her head open and couldn’t see high kicks with all the bandaging.
“As a coach, you can only ask your players to give everything and that’s what they did,” Strange said.
The match ended on a sour note with several players caught up in a brawl, with a few punches were thrown.
“I won’t really comment on it right now. But obviously we’ll have a conversation with the people we need to chat with,” said Broncos coach Scott Prince.
“It’s not ideal from our point of view. There’s no place in the game for that. I’m sure the NRL will take care of it.”
Prince won an NRL Premiership 20 years ago on the same ground with Wests Tigers, but said coaching a premiership win was “far better”.
He has just re-signed with the Broncos for another two years.
“When you’re in one it’s an individual thing. But as a coach, to see the girls progress, get better, the highs and lows – that’s the satisfaction you want. It’s very, very special.”
Fullback and Dally M winner Tamika Upton celebrated her fifth NRLW title, after previous triumphs with the Broncos (2019, 2020) and Newcastle (2022, 2023).
Shalom Sauaso brought the Broncos back into the match with her 60th minute try. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)
“We came together as a group and worked so hard. We just built on that, just week after week chipping away,” Upton said.
For captain Ali Brigginshaw it was her fourth premiership – five years after her last in 2020 when the Broncos again beat the Roosters, 20-10.
“I’m just overwhelmed and proud,” Brigginshaw said.
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