This is not the same Brisbane Broncos who conquered a miracle en route to last year’s premiership. This is a premiership-winning outfit devoid of confidence, struggling for rhythm, and reeling from two humiliating defeats ahead of what will be a hellish two months.
Not even donning their popular all-black kit in support of the Black Dog Institute could ignite the spluttering premiers against the 16th-placed Gold Coast Titans as it did in 2025, as a moment of utter magic from Keano Kini inflicted a fifth-straight defeat on the defending champions 28-23.
It appeared Brisbane had done just enough to arrest their losing run, with an Adam Reynolds field goal giving them the lead. But the Titans fullback had other ideas, chipping for himself and regathering bravely as Reece Walsh charged for the ball to seal a remarkable win.
“Special players do special things. We love that young lad because he might drop a ball early, but it doesn’t stop him,” Titans coach Josh Hannay said.
“He doesn’t pull out of the game, he just keeps going after the contest, and he went after it right until the end and came up with a special play. He’s a special young player.”
This latest Broncos capitulation follows their shock loss to the cellar-dwelling Dragons last week, to leave their title defence in freefall after squandering an early 12-0 lead.
There were promising signs early, as edge forward Brendan Piakura turned hitman on Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, before scoring the first try of the night after his side fell short on several other raids.
The benched Ezra Mam was injected early for a 15-minute stint after Tom Duffy was sent for an HIA, and his scything run shortly after the kick-off triggered a try for Kotoni Staggs.
But from there, the wheels did not just fall off; they exploded.
A Jack Gosiewski error on his own line gifted a try to Kurtis Morrin, before Phil Sami shrugged off an appalling tackle attempt from Ben Hunt and put on the afterburners to evade Reece Walsh – who battled a corked quad – to score himself.
Some razzle-dazzle coming out of half-time then earned Jayden Campbell a double – the first courtesy of his support play on an AJ Brimson linebreak, and second after fending off several defenders to weave his way to the line.
A mistake from Titans forward Klese Haas opened the door for a Broncos fightback, with Jesse Arthars quick to cross in the corner and a miracle Piakura offload for Grant Anderson levelling the clash. Reynolds’ field goal was then quickly forgotten courtesy of Kini’s heroics.
Brisbane had one last chance after Reece Walsh put Josiah Karapani into the clear, but Mam’s decision to put in a grubber with tackles up his sleeve and 30 seconds on the clock proved a horror call, as the Titans cleaned up the scraps.
Now sitting two wins adrift of the top six, the Broncos need to find their mojo now, or begin booking their off-season holidays. Across the next eight games, each of Brisbane’s rivals are currently placed 10th or higher, with their lowest-ranked opposition – the Cowboys – yet to have a bye.
“Losing is always a concern. We obviously want to turn up and win, that’s why we’re here. I’ve got a club that has an expectation around that, but at the moment we’re just not able to dig those out,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said.
Reynolds added: “The belief is still there, we know the calibre of players we have in the team there, and what a team we can be. If that doesn’t give you belief, I don’t know what will.
“We’ll continue turning up trying to change what’s been happening, but there are a lot of good things going on behind closed doors. No doubt it will turn.”
Walsh’s Maroons audition
There were signs of hope early that Walsh was about to launch, as he looked to inject himself in the contest and appeared to be running with a freedom and ferocity not seen for much of his comeback from a facial fracture five weeks ago.
It may not have been the one-man wrecking crew Broncos fans came to love of Walsh in his scintillating campaign, which finished with a Clive Churchill Medal, but he was error-free, composed, eager, and valiant after reports emerged he had suffered a cork in his buttock early in the contest – although Maguire insisted there were no injury concerns there.
Ultimately, he did not have enough execution support from his backline teammates, despite the foundation laid by enforcers Payne Haas (187 running metres) and Xavier Willison, who charged for 212 metres from 20 carries at lock in the absence of the injured Pat Carrigan (syndesmosis).
Kalyn Ponga no doubt will keep Queensland’s fullback duties when coach Billy Slater names his game two State of Origin squad on Monday, but a place on the extended bench is there for the taking.
Walsh’s Broncos teammate Gehamat Shibasaki will miss up to six weeks with a knee issue, while Mam’s axing by Michael Maguire to Brisbane’s bench has hindered his hopes of keeping his spot on the Maroons interchange.
Brisbane’s fullback finished with 249 running metres and 10 tackle busts, while his passing game gave Karapani opportunities to get into the clear, and despite the result, it may be enough to force his way back into the Origin arena.
Forgotten flyer’s Slater message
He has seemingly fallen off the Origin radar since managing two caps for Queensland in 2020, but Sami has issued one final reminder to Slater that he was a man who could do a job.
While his Titans’ teammate Jojo Fifita hardly put a foot wrong on his debut in game one, his more seasoned winger combined safety under the high ball with powerful carries – leading to his individual try to kickstart his side’s comeback.
Sami ran for 264 metres in a colossal display, and if not for the spark he provided, the Gold Coast may never have found the momentum swing they needed to orchestrate one of the most famous wins of their history.
