As it happened: Broncos stun Panthers to keep season alive

Media conferences

Brian's back: After being left out of the NSW side for the Origin decider, Brian To'o reminded everyone of his class with 20 runs for 211 metres, three line breaks, four tackle breaks and two tries.

Middle men deliver: Xavier Willison was immense for the Broncos with 208 metres from 21 runs to go with 33 tackles while Payne Haas had 15 runs for 161 metres and made 47 tackles.

Full-time: The Broncos have snapped an eight-game losing streak with a hard-fought 14-12 win over the ladder leaders Penrith. The premiers dig deep to keep their season alive with Reece Walsh again standing tall with the game on the line.

78 min: The Panthers keep the ball alive on the last tackle and go from one side of the field to the other before Brian To'o grubbers, Josiah Karapani cleans up and is taken into touch. The referee rules that To'o had knocked on as he tried to kick. The Panthers challenge and win the challenge but a mutual infringement is called with the bunker saying the referee had blown his whistle while Karapani was still in the field of play. Broncos ball.

76 min: Casey McLean is bundled over into touch by Deine Mariner and the Broncos start a set just inside their own half.

73 min: A high tackle penalty against Isaah Yeo allows the Broncos to camp in the red zone as they look to close the game out.

72 min: Nathan Cleary goes to the air and Reece Walsh takes the catch. The Panthers are penalised for being in front of the kicker. 

69 min: Reece Walsh goes to the line on the last tackle and throws a perfect cut-out pass to Josiah Karapani to dive into the left-hand corner. Walsh then steps up and nails the conversion from the sideline. Broncos 14-12

67 min: Billy Scott throws a forward pass out of dummy half to Nathan Cleary and the Panthers turn it over on halfway.

66 min: A poor set by the Broncos ends with Ben Hunt throwing a terrible pass out of dummy half to Adam Reynolds who knocks on.

65 min: Preston Riki comes up with an error, the Broncos throw in a captain's challenge, the bunker rules Billy Scott had played at the ball and stripped it. Broncos penalty.

64 min: A clever kick from Adam Reynolds pulls up in the in-goal and Blaize Talagi is forced to scramble back and knock it dead with Jordan Riki pouring through.

62 min: Reece Walsh lofts a long ball to Josiah Karapani who sets sail for the corner but Dylan Edwards makes an unbelievable effort to come across 30 metres at full tilt and dislodge the ball with a last-ditch tackle.

60 min: Ezra Mam grubbers, the ball is played at by Nathan Cleary and rebounds into Liam Martin who knocks on. Broncos scrum from 10m out.

59 min: Gehamat Shibasaki goes close on the left edge before the Broncos grubber into the in-goal and Dylan Edwards cleans up. Line dropout.

55 min: Reece Walsh goes to the air, Dylan Edwards takes the catch with one foot planted behind the goal line. Seven-tackle set Penrith.

50 min: Adam Reynolds goes to Jordan Riki and the ball is put down as the Panthers rush up in defence. Riki was expecting his captain to kick and had over-run the pass and he couldn't hang on.

49 min: Blaize Talagi crabs across field and is an easy target for Kotoni Staggs to hit him hard and force an error. The Broncos take over 30 metres out.

46 min: Reece Walsh launches a spiral bomb which Dylan Edwards allows to bounce but luckily for the Panthers fullback it goes dead.

43 min: Ezra Mam comes up with a strong hit to force an error from Liam Martin.

No.1 guns: Dylan Edwards and Reece Walsh were in everything in the opening 40 minutes. The Panthers fullback had 11 runs for 86 metres and two try assists while Walsh came up with two try assists, three tackle breaks and 231 kick metres as he stepped up to take some of the pressure off Adam Reynolds with the general play kicking.

Half-time: High completion rates given the conditions with the Panthers going 21 of 24 at 87 per cent while the Broncos were 18 of 21 at 85 per cent. The Panthers came up with four line breaks to two but the Broncos had 18 tackle breaks to five.

40 min: The Panthers chance their hand down the left and Thomas Jenkins back inside for his chasers but Reece Walsh does a great job to get back and cover up under immense pressure.

38 min: Payne Haas is penalised for giving Liam Henry a facial on the ground. Players from both sides run in to remonstrate as tensions flare late in the half. Nathan Cleary bangs over the penalty goal. Panthers 12-8

37 min: The Panthers come up with a loose pass on halfway and Ezra Mam tries to scoop it up one-handed but he can't control the pick-up and the Panthers have a scrum on halfway.

35 min: Josiah Karapani is rag-dolled into touch by three Panthers defenders but the Broncos receive a penalty for a second effort in the tackle.

32 min: The Panthers go right again, Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards combine again, Brian To'o scores again. Broncos winger Josiah Karapani comes in and gets nothing as To'o flies away into the corner for career try No.99. Cleary fails to convert. Panthers 10-8

31 min: A slashing run by Scott Sorensen who burns Xavier Willison and scoots 40 metres all the way to the line but can't get the ball down for a try as three Broncos scramble back to hold him up.

29 min: Dylan Edwards can't handle a high ball and the Broncos get another set from close range. Reece Walsh grubbers but it is easily cleaned up by Casey McLean who is pushed back in-goal by the Broncos. The referee ruled he was tackled in the field of play and then illegally shoved back over the tryline. Panthers penalty.

26 min: Nathan Cleary is placed on report for a lifting tackle on Ezra Mam.

24 min: The Broncos have a second after Reece Walsh picks up a loose pass and sends it on to Kotoni Staggs who gets past Casey McLean and carries Dylan Edwards over the line for a try in the corner. Adam Reynolds misses from wide out. Broncos 8-6

22 min: Lindsay Smith leaves the field for a HIA which he passes and is able to return to the game.

19 min: Nathan Cleary goes to the line and grubbers, the ball strikes Xavier Willison who is ruled not to have played at it. The Broncos big man then makes the tackle on Cleary and forces an error.

13 min: Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards combine to send Brian To'o over in the corner. Slick ball movement to the right edge gives To'o a clear run to the line. Cleary converts from touch. Panthers 6-4

13 min: Brendan Piakura leaves the field for a HIA after copping a knock to the head as he tried to make a front-on tackle. He is deemed a Category 1 head knock and will not return.

6 min: The ideal start for the Broncos as Reece Walsh nudges a grubber into the in-goal for Jordan Riki to push past Casey McLean and get the ball down for the first try. Adam Reynolds misses the conversion. Broncos 4-0

4 min: Kotoni Staggs nails Dylan Edwards after the Panthers fullback takes a bomb. The ball spills free. Broncos inside the red zone.

2 min: Both sides complete their first set in trying conditions as the rain comes down heavily at CommBank Stadium.

Late Mail

Panthers: The Panthers are 1-19 with no late changes. NSW Origin heroes Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo are back to bolster the Panthers after missing Round 18 on Blues duty. Young gun Casey McLean (quad) returns in the centres while back-rower Isaiah Papali'i (concussion) is also back on deck. Winger Thomas Jenkins requires one try to break the club’s all-time season tryscoring record of 25 held by Rhys Wesser. 

Broncos: The premiers will line up 1-19 as named. Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Adam Reynolds, Payne Haas, Brendan Piakura and Pat Carrigan are all back on deck in a massive boost for the Broncos. Reynolds has missed two games with a calf injury suffered in Round 15 while Mam hurt his shoulder in the same match against Souths. Billy Walters' return to the NRL has been put on hold for another week after he was initially named in the extended squad on Tuesday.

Numbers Game

• The Panthers have won six of their last seven games against the Broncos.
• The Broncos have conceded 34 points per game in eight consecutive losses.
• The Panthers have won all six games at CommBank Stadium this season.
• The Broncos have defeated the Panthers in Sydney only once since 2009.
• Panthers winger Thomas Jenkins requires one try to break the club’s all-time season try scoring record.