MELBOURNE STORM 14 BRISBANE BRONCOS 18
TOM SMITH, AAMI Park, Friday

BRISBANE conjured another stirring second-half comeback to overrun Melbourne in the Grand Final rematch at a sold-out AAMI Park. 

Less than six months after the Broncos overturned a ten-point half-time deficit to clinch last year’s decider on the back of a Reece Walsh masterclass, Michael Maguire’s men wiped off the Storm’s 14-0 lead thanks to a Jordon Riki double. 

The reigning premiers travelled to Victoria desperate to avoid a 0-3 start to their title defence, but were staring down the barrel after Sualauvi Faalogo lit up the first half. 

However, Riki, Walsh and powerhouse performances in the middle by Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan manufactured another signature comeback. 

Ben Hunt and Kotoni Staggs also had their fingerprints all over the three second-half tries. 

The result snaps a streak of nine straight Storm wins over the Broncos in Melbourne. 

Craig Bellamy lost back-rower Ativalu Lisati (calf) from the side that steamrolled St George Illawarra in Wollongong the Saturday prior, although regained forwards Alec MacDonald (concussion) and Trent Loiero (suspension). 

Maguire was also forced into changes following Brisbane’s shock loss to Parramatta in round two, with captain Adam Reynolds succumbing to a rib injury. 

Hunt is a superb replacement in the halves, while second-rower Brendan Piakura returned from a knee issue and winger Grant Anderson made his club debut against his old team-mates, forcing Gehamat Shibasaki onto the bench. 

It took more than 20 minutes for either side to trouble the scoreboard attendant, but the Storm’s big names eventually combined to do so. 

With the Broncos on the back foot, Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes linked up to send Joe Chan steaming through the defensive line, and the back-rower’s offload allowed Faalogo to swan-dive over the stripe. 

A Walsh 40/20 gave Brisbane an opportunity to hit back, but after Kotoni Staggs spurned a chance, the hosts extended their lead. 

Walsh caught Munster high, handing Grant two points with the kicking tee. 

Then on the stroke of half-time, Melbourne landed a huge blow, as Hughes danced through a web of white jumpers to gift four points to Chan. 

The 14-point margin didn’t reflect the arm wrestle that was much of the first half, and Brisbane started shaving the arrears less than two minutes into the second when Walsh released Riki with a beautiful short ball. 

The damaging back-rower had a brace ten minutes later, when the quick-thinking Hunt went down the short side from dummy-half and Staggs laid on the final pass. 

And the Queenslanders snatched the lead once Staggs raced onto a perfectly-timed Hunt pass to charge through the Storm’s under-siege defence.

Storm huffed and puffed for a reply, with Munster constantly threatening and Nick Meaney going close in the left corner. 

But Josiah Karapani dragged down Faalogo with Melbourne’s last roll of the dice to snuff out any hope of a late miracle.

GAMESTAR: Barnstorming back-rower Jordan Riki grabbed two tries at the start of the second half to kick-start the Broncos’ rally.

GAMEBREAKER: Brisbane’s comeback wasn’t sealed until Josiah Karapani reeled in Sualauvi Faalogo on the full-time siren.

MATCHFACTS

STORM
1 Sualauvi Faalogo
2 Will Warbrick
3 Jack Howarth
4 Moses Leo
5 Nick Meaney
6 Cameron Munster
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Harry Grant
10 Josh King
11 Joe Chan
18 Alec MacDonald
13 Tui Kamikamica
Subs
14 Tyran Wishart
15 Trent Loiero
16 Davvy Moale (not used)
17 Cooper Clarke
19 Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown (not used)
20 Jack Hetherington (not used)

Tries: Faalogo (22), Chan (40)
Goals: Grant 3/3

BRONCOS
1 Reece Walsh
2 Josiah Karapani
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Deine Mariner
5 Grant Anderson
6 Ezra Mam
14 Ben Hunt
8 Corey Jensen
9 Cory Paix
10 Payne Haas
11 Xavier Willison
12 Jordan Riki
13 Patrick Carrigan
Subs
15 Ben Talty
16 Aublix Tawha (not used)
17 Gehamat Shibasaki (not used)
18 Brendan Piakura
19 Jaiyden Hunt (not used)
20 Blake Mozer (not used)

Tries: Riki (42, 52), Staggs (59)
Goals: Walsh 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 14-0; 14-6, 14-12, 14-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Storm: Joe Chan; Broncos: Jordan Riki

Penalty count: 5-6
Half-time: 14-0
Referee: Todd Smith
Attendance: 28,245