The Brisbane Broncos are through to the preliminary finals after an outrageous comeback against the Canberra Raiders, who will be left just six days recovery to get up and go again next weekend.
Here are all the key talking points from a dramatic afternoon in the nation’s capital.
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The Broncos need Adam Reynolds back
The Broncos might be through to the preliminary finals, but they will need to play a whole lot better than they did on Sunday afternoon if they are going to go past either the Canterbury Bulldogs or Penrith Panthers.
For much of the game, they were the obvious second-best side against a Green Machine outfit who for all money looked like they were through to the preliminary finals with as few as 20 minutes to go.
The Broncos’ comeback, sparked by Reece Walsh’s individual brilliance and a team never say die attitude has won them a critical week off, but not a guarantee of a grand final appearance.
While the Broncos actually have a better record without Reynolds this year, it’s at this time of year where you need your most experience, particularly when they wear the number seven.
Granted, Ben Hunt had his worst game in the number seven jumper, but that could be well down to the fact the Raiders have one of the best forward packs in the competition.
Brisbane haven’t played at such high stakes, or against such a good team, since they lost Reynolds.
His kicking game needs to be back for the preliminary final if the Red Hill-based outfit are going to qualify for their first decider since 2023.
All three sin bins were spot on
Referee Ashley Klein didn’t have the best of games.
In fact, you’d go as far as to say none of the referees appointed to the opening weekend of the finals series had great games.
But what we will pay credit to is the decisions around the three sin bins, which were also aided by Chris Buttler sitting in the bunker.
Reece Walsh had to be sin binned. He would have been sent off if it was a proper head butt, but got away with it because he more or less simply led with his head as Hudson Young held onto him.
But because Walsh had to be sin binned, Klein and Buttler couldn’t choose to ignore the aggressor, Hudson Young, who incited the situation by hanging onto Walsh.
Both players had to go, and they did.
Minutes later, and it was Patrick Carrigan’s turn.
In one way, he seemed to be bracing for the tackle, but the onus is on the defender to avoid direct, high contact, and Carrigan did the opposite, so his stint in the sin bin was also spot on.
Carrigan, you feel, could well be in trouble when the match review committee’s charge sheet lands on Monday.
Can the Raiders recover in time to beat the Sharks?
The Raiders now have just six days to lick their wounds, pick themselves off and get ready to go again against the Cronulla Sharks.
They will be at home and don’t have to travel at any point in those six days, but the physical nature of a 94-minute game, as well as the fact the Sharks played 24 hours earlier in their own physical win againast the Roosters, is going to create a tricky situation for Ricky Stuart.
He needs to find a balance between preparing for the clash with Cronulla and giving his troops the week off.
If Canberra start slowly againt Cronulla, it could be curtains. They’ll need to do everything right in the six-day break to be a proper chance of getting the better of Craig Fitzgibbon’s side, before another six-day turnaround looms for the winner ahead of a trip to the Victorian capital to play the Storm.
Kaeo Weekes and Tom Starling will decide the Raiders’ fate
Kaeo Weekes was the Raiders’ best on Sunday afternoon, and for a long time, Tom Starling was looking equal to him.
Starling’s efforts to get the Raiders out onto the front foot and, for a lot of the game, look like the better team, were what we have come to expect of him this year.
He was a little louder with his performance than he has been for much of the year, where he hasn’t got the credit he deserves thanks to the excellent players in fine form around him.
Weekes has been one of those, and scored a double on Sunday. Up to his usual tricks, he was in everything that was good for Canberra and solid in defence too.
The duo combining with fast, direct play opens up the time for Jamal Fogarty to do what he does in the number seven. There are other keys for Canberra, led by Joseph Tapine in the middle, but the game doesn’t work unless Weekes and Starling are thriving.
Reece Walsh might just be the NRL’s most naturally talented player
Diamonds and a single rock for Reece Walsh.
His sin bin stopped him from being rated a perfect ten out out of ten in our player ratings, but he was otherwise flawless.
His running game, speed, footwork, agility and vision for the game.
Off-field toilet water stunts or not, Walsh is fast becoming the most in-form player in the game, and is certainly in the discussion when you think about natural talent.
The Broncos don’t get that game anywhere near extra time without him. It’s as simple as that.