Broncos' title defence alive and well while Reece is 'on'

One win in the bag, seven to go.

It sounds a daunting task but one Broncos players are relishing, especially if fullback Reece Walsh carries on the scintillating form he showed in the upset 14-12 win over Penrith.

“When Reece is ‘on’ like he was tonight you’ve just got to give him the ball and let him do his thing,” centre Kotoni Staggs told NRL.com. 

The Cowboys are next – 2000km away from a wet and chilly CommBank Stadium in Sydney – so travel becomes another element in the premiers' quest to win the remaining seven matches to make the NRL finals. 

“Seven games to go and this is exactly where you want to start winning – the business end,” said Staggs, after he played his part against the Panthers with a try, 151 run metres and 11 tackle breaks.

“It helps when you have a full-strength team on the paddock.  

“We knew through all those losses (eight straight) that key players were missing and this would be the first time in a couple of months we had our top team.” 

Brisbane enjoyed the return of halves Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds from injury, along with forwards Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas.

But the work of two mainstays of the pack, Jordan Riki (20 runs for 175 metres) and Xavier Willison (22 runs for 223 metres), was colossal. Between them they racked up 218 post-contact metres. 

“It’s a good feeling to finally be back in the winners’ circle. We finally had all the boys back so there were no excuses for us not to perform,” Willison said. 

“The last couple of weeks we’ve definitely had the effort but little things didn’t go our way.” 

Now to the Cowboys and forwards like Jason Taumalolo, Jeremiah Nanai and Reuben Cotter. 

“There’s really no excuses, like I said, so it’s about everyone getting their prep right and training hard,” Willison said. 

The Broncos had 14 players from their 2025 grand final-winning 17 side on the field at CommBank Stadium and Willison is grateful to them all – especially Walsh. 

“He’s leading us from the back and steering the ship. We listen to him because he’s definitely grown as a leader and we trust him to do his job," Willison said.

Last year the Broncos won five of their last seven games to finish the regular season in fourth spot. They need all seven this time. 

Is it do-able? 

“One hundred per cent – we’ve done it before,” Staggs said.  

“We’ve got a lot of confidence out of tonight so hopefully we keep turning up with the right attitude, which is a willingness to learn and get better each and every week.” 

After the Cowboys the Broncos face more top-eight teams in the Knights, Dolphins and Warriors – but all three are home at Suncorp Stadium. 

Then it’s Raiders in Canberra, Storm at home, and the Bulldogs in Sydney. 

Willison may have to draw on the tattoo of Marlin Brando from the blockbuster ‘The Godfather’ he has on his lower right leg. 

“It’s definitely my favourite movie and I used to watch it all the time at my Nanna’s growing up,” he said. 

“I like the old-school Italian mafia sort of movies.” 

Maybe channeling a little Don Vito Corleone might also help against the Cowboys.