Before you could see it, you could smell it. The distinct waft of cigar smoke creeping through the bowels of Accor Stadium.
The home of the Sydney Olympic Games has hosted all manner of sporting events and musical stars for a quarter of a century, but it’s doubtful it has been a backdrop to the type of celebrations in the Broncos’ sheds after their epic grand final comeback against the Storm on Sunday night.
Front and centre were the cigars. From Kotoni Staggs to Ezra Mam and Jesse Arthars, Brisbane’s flamboyant stars unapologetically puffed away in celebration an hour after full-time. It wasn’t for everyone, with at least one person seeking refuge in the corridor for a few minutes to clear their senses.
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Kotoni Staggs celebrates with a cigar and a special 2025 PREMIERS can of XXXX. Picture: kotonistaggs1/InstagramSource: InstagramEzra Mam celebrates on the field with a cigar. Picture: ezra.mam/InstagramSource: Instagram
As is customary for many modern-day sporting celebrations – and made popular in the NRL by the Panthers during their four-peat – Broncos players also wore ski goggles to protect their eyes when the corks were popped on the champagne.
It wasn’t the only thing they came prepared for.
There was never going to be any betting on what beer would be the favoured drop in the sheds: XXXX.
But it wasn’t any old XXXX, instead specially designed premiership cans produced to commemorate the Brisbane title, carrying the club’s official logo and “2025 Premiers” on them.
It’s fair to assume they might not have seen the light of day if Reece Walsh hadn’t dragged them across the line with a Clive Churchill Medal-winning display.
Brisbane bosses Karl Morris and Dave Donaghy skipped through the sheds with hats manufactured in advance for the potential of a Brisbane win. That premiership merchandise will be a seven-figure boost to their bottom line in coming weeks.
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Reece Walsh celebrates after the NRL grand final in the Broncos’ sheds.Source: Getty ImagesBen Hunt celebrates with Broncos supporters before heading to the sheds for a victory party.Source: Getty Images
There was no one more content inside the packed sheds than veteran Ben Hunt, who had to wait 10 years to exorcise his grand final demons from that infamous botched kick-off catch during golden point against the Cowboys.
He retreated to a side room to chat with wife Bridget and old teammate Andrew McCullough. Bridget wore a bomber jacket with the name “Hunt” and the No.6 on the back, with other partners and wives doing similar for their beaus, repping the playing number of their nearest and dearest.
It still might not have been the fashion statement of the night though.
That honour could have gone to herculean lock Pat Carrigan, who after playing the entire 80 minutes with 136 run metres and 46 tackles, carried a knitted bag in the colours of the Broncos over one shoulder.
Brendan Piakurua with a victory cigar. Picture: @walshyy07/InstagramSource: Instagram
While the Panthers have long mastered the art of creating a theme to drive their squad to a premiership during the finals, Michael Maguire and his coaching staff tapped into emotion in a different way.
Forced to make do without skipper Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam and Selwyn Cobbo for a large part of the finals run-in and first week of the play-offs, the Broncos used simple imagery in their sheds for one of the last things players saw before running out onto Accor Stadium.
They included emotive pictures from throughout the season, ranging from Walsh mocking the Tigers’ claw celebration following a Brisbane try to Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards being monstered in a tackle during last week’s preliminary final.
Adam Reynolds couldn’t get away from Reece mania. Picture: @walshyy07/InstagramSource: Instagram
There were some famous faces among the dressing room crowd, too.
Kobe Hetherington’s father, Jason, held court in a corner of the sheds, while Australian cricketers Xavier Bartlett and Matt Kuhnemann enjoyed themselves celebrating with the masses.
Channel Nine commentator and Broncos board member Darren Lockyer was quick to join in after his official broadcast duties had been completed.
There was no such luck for Lockyer’s old teammate and Broncos legend Wendell Sailor, who couldn’t muster the correct pass to access the dressing room and was left at the door.
Reece Walsh enjoys the spoils of victory with his Broncos teammates. Picture: @walshyy07/InstagramSource: Instagram
Maguire was more than happy to fulfil multiple media requests beyond his standard press conference alongside Reynolds, but even as his coaching arc now includes a second NRL premiership on top of inflicting the Kangaroos with a record loss while in charge of New Zealand and winning last year’s State of Origin series with NSW, he still wasn’t the most popular figure in the sheds.
That fell to Walsh, who produced the most scintillating two months of form to carry the Broncos to their first title in 19 years.
“If he didn’t play the last couple of months, we’re not even in the grand final,” Brisbane veteran Ben Hunt said. “He got us here and he got us home.
“He’s developed that (defensive) part of his game. He’s already been known for the lairy plays that strike fear into defenders, but he’s worked extremely hard, not just being a tough player, but being a good defensive fullback as well.”
Reece Walsh drinks from a toilet mug after the grand final. Picture: @walshyy07/InstagramSource: InstagramReece Walsh shows off his premiership ring in the Broncos sheds. Picture: @walshyy07/InstagramSource: Instagram
Walsh kept a relatively low profile in the sheds, but emerged to have a photo next to the Provans-Summons trophy.
It’s tradition for the premiership spoils to be sat on a platform in a corner of the winning dressing room, with a white backdrop allowing any lucky family and friends the chance to be snapped with players alongside it.
Walsh reserved one of his biggest embraces for his manager, Nash Dawson, who he posed with alongside the trophy. Dawson has inked Walsh and Mam to long-term deals at the Broncos, with both players set to be the backbone of the club for years.
Walsh had long changed out of his playing boots by the time he sauntered across for those photos. He wore boots with the word “great” scribbled on them during the game.
He was better than that. So were the celebrations.