What a way to open the final round of the 2025 season!
After months of hard grind, some memorable wins and heartbreaking losses, the Brisbane Broncos have their double chance destiny in their own hands when they host the Storm at Suncorp Stadium.
A win for Michael Maguire’s men secures them fourth spot, a trip to Canberra in week one of the finals to face the Raiders, and most importantly another shot should they lose that match.
The Storm are locked into second place and have plenty of motivation to power into the finals on a high note after an embarrassing second-half fadeout against the Roosters.
Follow all the Round 27 action on NRL.com’s live blog.
Broncos v Storm at Accor Stadium
24 min: Payne Haas is penalised for late contact on Cameron Munster after he had kicked the ball.
23 min: Storm forward Tui Kamikamica goes up the tunnel for treatment on an arm injury.
21 min: The Storm go inside the Red Zone but Nick Meaney puts the ball down cold for his side’s fifth error of the night.
17 min: The Storm concede another penalty for slowing down the ruck and the Broncos march into enemy territory again.
15 min: On the back of a Ryan Papenhuyzen error coming out of his own end, Payne Haas goes to the line and slips an offload to Reece Walsh. The ball comes off Walsh’s knee and rolls into the in goal where the Broncos No.1 outmuscles Papenhuyzen and gets to the ball to ground it for the game’s opening try. Walsh fails to convert. Broncos 6-0.
13 min: The Storm go right and Will Warbrick gets close but Josiah Karapani turns him away.
12 min: Cameron Munster goes to the air and Kotoni Staggs obstructs Xavier Coates as he tries to get to the contest.
9 min: A high tackle penalty against Eli Katoa hands Reece Walsh a shot at penalty goal from close range and he bangs it over. Broncos 2-0.
7 min: Reece Walsh gets a neat kick into the in goal and the Broncos earn a repeat set from the dropout.
5 min: The Storm are penalised for being inside the 10m and the Broncos then get a pair of six-agains to go inside the Red Zone.
4 min: Billy Walters muscles up in defence to force an error from Trent Loiero as the Broncos turn the Storm away.
Late Mail
Broncos: The Broncos are 1-17 with no late changes. With Gehamat Shibasaki stood down for a breach of team standards, Jesse Arthars gets a recall on the wing and Deine Mariner pushes into the centres. Brendan Piakura has been named to start in the back row with Jaiyden Hunt on the bench. Delouise Hoeter is 18th man.
Storm: A late switch in the front row with Tui Kamikamica starting the game and Nelson Asofa-Solomona reverting to the bench. Halfback Jahrome Hughes returns from a shoulder injury while Xavier Coates, Eli Katoa, Nick Meaney and Josh King are all back after being rested in Round 26. Back-rower Shawn Blore has suffered a fractured larynx so Ativalu Lisati comes into the starting side. Marion Seve is 18th man.
Numbers Game
The Broncos have won only one of their past 18 games against the Storm.
The Storm have won 15 of their last 16 Thursday night games.
Broncos centres Kotoni Staggs has scored seven tries in his last seven games at Suncorp Stadium.
Storm prop Josh King will make his 100th appearance for the club.
The Broncos have scored 122 points in their last three games.