It was “a case of deja vu” at a sold-out AAMI Park as the Brisbane Broncos overturned a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat the Melbourne Storm 14-18 in a grand final rematch thriller.
Trailing 0-14 at the break, the Broncos came roaring back with three quick tries early in the second half, led by a powerhouse performance from Jordan Riki, who ran in two tries in the opening 11 minutes to shift momentum.
Centre Kotoni Staggs then sealed a famous Broncos victory with the match-winner in the 59th minute, while Reece Walsh played a key role in the comeback after an earlier costly error.
The Storm, dominant in the first half, were held scoreless after the break just like the 2025 grand final, despite late pressure, as the Broncos’ defence stood firm to secure a hoodoo-breaking win and their first victory of the season.
