Former skipper has Broncos as title favourites if they conquer Storm

Former Broncos captain Alex Glenn can’t see anyone stopping Brisbane if they are able to break their longstanding hoodoo against the Storm in Finals Week One. 

A member of the last Broncos team to beat Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium way back in 2009, Glenn believes a win over Craig Bellamy’s men at the venue on Friday night would immediately make them title favourites.

While Brisbane will remain in the finals regardless of the result in week one, a win would lock in home field advantage for the preliminary finals, something Glenn said was vital to the club making it through to their most recent decider in 2015.   

“I think Friday night is going to be the test. If they can trump the Storm here at home then I don’t think anyone is going to stop them,” Glenn said.

In terms of confidence and then having a home prelim final, I know what it’s like having a home prelim final… it’s so vital, so vital.

Alex Glenn

“If you can get that and secure that [for the run to the Grand Final] it will be huge for our boys.

“I think these boys definitely have the ability to do that, with Reynolds steering the ship, you’ve got Payne [Haas], Patty [Carrigan], Herbie Farnworth, Kotoni Staggs; it’s just strike power all across the field.

“But they have got to play their best footy, Melbourne is not an easy team to beat and they love playing up here.”

He isn’t wrong about the Storm’s affection for Suncorp Stadium, with their all-time record there sitting at 28 wins from 36 attempts, although one of those defeats did come this year when they went down to the Rabbitohs at the venue. 

Melbourne have a brilliant record against Brisbane in general, with last week’s 32-22 win being their 14th in a row against them. 

While gushing in his praise of Bellamy and his ability to constantly get the better of Broncos sides over the years, Glenn said Brisbane have the ideal man at the helm themselves in coach Kevin Walters.  

“He is the heart of this club. He’s been here through the successes, been here through the [the bad]," Glenn said. 

“He was one of the players that laid the foundation for all the success that’s been at this club. To have him steering the ship as a head coach, it means the world.

“When he talks about this club he gets emotional and that’s what this club is all about, we are all heart.

“He knows what it means to be a Brisbane Broncos player.”

Friday night will be the first time the Broncos have gone into a finals series as a top-four side since 2017, while for the Storm it’s the seventh time in the last eight seasons they've been a top-four qualifier.