The vibe in Brisbane on the back of AFL glory is one of expectation around water coolers and across airwaves. More and more Broncos merchandise can be seen traversing the cities streets as AFL's MCG spectacular gets more toward the rear view, and the NRL show piece- in this case a dual attempt for Brisbane with the NRL and NRLW teams a chance at creating mutual history- becomes more real.
As exciting as Grand Final week is for so many home fans, the reality is the Broncos spent the back half of it in Sydney, and local engagement opportunities were limited to an all in media session on Monday, rest on Tuesday, and the biggest fan day the club has seen in two decades (attended by 6,000 fans) at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, before the team flew south. Judging by Michael Maguire's call to ban Channel 7 from training in the buildup to the preliminary final, it was never, ever, going to be a week full of flesh pressing for local fans and press.
Maguire has put together a very real mantra of hard work and belief in his first season at the club, but even the the 51 year old's superstitions would have been tested on Thursday. The most important training session of the week was thrown off course by a flat tyre on the team bus; air hissing from the vehicle's underside at the very same moment local scribes were trying to work out which of the two nominated training venues to head to. A delicious mix of skullduggery and mechanical failure in an otherwise fairly stock standard week. Which, according to legendary former Broncos hardman Trevor Gillmeister is exactly what you want.
"They've done all the hard work," the two time Broncos premiership winning hitman tells ESPN.
"If you get to Grand Final week and you're worrying about fixing or changing things, or dealing with some sort of drama, you're on the back foot."
Gilmeister was a member of the 1992/93 Premiership double, which heralded a 15-year era where Brisbane had a Melbourne Storm-like strike rate of making Grand Finals, albeit not losing any of them. The '93 installment saw a raw Wendell Sailor shake the hand of Wayne Bennett at fulltime; having spent the match in full playing kit, but without taking the field. Fortunes improved greatly for Wendell, but there will always be heartache in Grand Final week. For the Brisbane Broncos of 2025, team list Tuesday was the day for it. Winning Grand Finals means having the best players on the park, and Pat Carrigan (especially in recent weeks) is a vitally important piece of Brisbane's premiership puzzle. The sobering reality for emerging forward Ben Talty: a dream debut season will not feature a maiden Grand Final appearance.
It takes a village, no doubt about it. A village also including test and Origin star Selwyn Cobbo, who won't finish his Brisbane tenure with a Grand Final. Jesse Arthars, who submitted most of an admirable season covering three positions. And don't even start on Billy Walters. Because Carrigan is 100% correct. It has taken a village for Brisbane to get another bite at glory, a seemingly unlikely two years after their last (failed) attempt. The 17 Michael Maguire has gone with have emerged as the unit to discover the breathtaking and sometimes erratic electricity that has got them there. And they can get it done, as long as they urgently tidy up a few areas that will not wash against a side who has haunted, taunted and dominated them for more than two decades.
Forget Penrith; since Brisbane last won a title in 2006, there has been one clear and consistent bogey team. The Melbourne Storm win a lot more than they lose against the Broncos, and are peaking at a pretty decent time after an impressive win over the Sharks to get to the big dance.
So will Brisbane's chaotic and enchanting display against the Raiders, followed by an other wordly effort against the Panthers, present itself one more time? Does lighting, in this case being directed AT the Storm, strike thrice?
Looking at the Melbourne Storm in 2025 is not a case of looking at a few losses, including the heavy-ish one to the Broncos in Round 27. It's more relevant to look at the year that propelled them into yet another decider and ignore the piercing shrill of a few late blips. Second place and a reasonably comfortable trot through the finals series. A calm buildup with key injury concerns apparently avoided. An enormous, mobile, backrow and a combination of toil and barely controlled rage in the middle. Creating a platform for names like Cameron Munster, a superstar playing out a season that's already nabbed an unlikely Origin shield in the wake of losing his beloved father. Alongside him a cool, calm and seemingly fit Jahrome Hughes. Harry Grant and Ryan Papenhuyzen slicing holes at their behest. Dishing it to Nick Meaney and Jack Howarth. Hoisting it high for Xavier Coates and William Warbrick. Then there's the most ominous name of all: Craig Bellamy. Eleven Grand Finals in and who knows how many more to come for the 65-year-old maestro. A dude who knows how to get there, and get it done. Plotting against a team he has enjoyed imposing his will on like a ruthless schoolyard bully for 22 years.
Yep, Brisbane has its work cut out in a massive way.
Riding the fairytale of epic fightback triumphs over the minor and 4-time premiers respectively is a path to ruin if it makes anyone at the Broncos feel they've an easy task ahead of them. But riding it a little bit is essential to prevailing on the night.
The reasons why are exactly the same reasons the Broncos were able to overcome (an admittedly tiring) Penrith at home in the Preliminary Final, and the Raiders before that. It is a team full of self belief; camaraderie and trust has replaced mid field dustups between team mates, risks are taken, errors are defended. Steadiness happens and big plays are rewarded with energy lifts across the park. The Broncos are more together than they have been in years; and this is in no way disrespecting the work of former coach Kevin Walters. 'Kevvy' laid the seeds of unity before succumbing to them, as he let the kids run the playground just a little too much.
Maguire has brought a lot more than 'spew buckets' to Red Hill in 2025. Having arrived amid the biggest scandal to hit the club over the past few years, 'Madge' has worked hard to instil accountability and managed to unite the collective desire of an entire squad. He's ignore the boo'ing of Ezra Mam and refused to see the funny side of the social media engagement by Martin Tapau. He's weeded out a few square pegs and stuck to his beliefs about the place of certain others and their importance to the team. Tried positional switches and reverted before they became rotten, and shown faith in journeymen- receiving in return the ultimate commitment that can only come from the ultimate gratitude.
There is a resilience there; an ownership when things go wrong that has seen goal line defence become a point of pride. There is an unspoken acknowledgement that this team has stuck out the testing patch of a long year and are riding a wave, leading to audacious attacking exploits from any part of the field, executed at critical points in late season games. There is supreme fitness, and the genuine understanding that a game goes for 80 minutes (at a minimum), not 20, 40 or 60. Then there is the superstar factor. Payne Haas and Mam, all with a losing Grand Final- particularly acutely for Mam- behind them. Kotoni Staggs, a Kangaroos centre berth beckoning on the other side. Carrigan playing the role he wasn't quite playing for two thirds of the year, and doing it on fresh legs. Then there's Reece Walsh, also a Kangaroo in waiting, and the biggest finals X-Factor the game has seen since J. Hayne in 2009.
Hayne's Eels fell short that year. Guess who they played? (Clue- it was Melbourne).
Questions might be asked about the age of Brisbane's halves, or the balance of its bench. We might see Mam start, we might see Adam Reynold's hamstring misfire. We will hopefully see less errors, or at the very least the commitment to overcoming them. Whatever we see, there is no question the Broncos have the firepower to outmuscle, dazzle and overwhelm Bellamy's men. More importantly, by uniting in their belief they can more easily dispel the mental baggage associated with the hardened group of purple clad bogey men standing opposite them. The ultimate test will be to see if the journey of the year so far will culminate in this dizzying collective belief being maintained when the night is at its darkest.
Because Melbourne, believe it, will take them down the darkest possible path.
And Brisbane will need to keep believing that anything can happen, at any time, when they stick together.
Can they do it? Yep. And it could be the start of something bigger. Brisbane by 8+.