Gus Gould warned all season that this year’s premier was “well hidden.” Michael Maguire knew exactly where to look. Under his relentless standards, Reece Walsh a “real footy head” who’s always last off the field has driven Brisbane’s rise from nearly men in 2023 to 2025 premiers, ending a 19-year drought.
But what does their win really mean? Are we witnessing the dawn of a new NRL era or just another brilliant flash in the pan? And where do the Eels fit?
Systems vs Talent
In the grand final, Walsh was electric, producing one of the most influential performances in NRL history, even overshadowing Nathan Cleary’s 2023 heroics and echoing Jarryd Hayne’s 2009 run.
Down 22–12 early in the second half, Walsh saved a near-certain Storm try in the 42nd minute. It was the turning point. Over the next 15 blistering minutes, Brisbane dominated possession (11 of 17 sets) and surged ahead. They shredded the Storm’s trademark systems just as they had the Panthers and Raiders. Walsh wasn’t just saving tries, redefining defence with brilliant nuances. He was setting them up and even scored a miracle solo try.
The Broncos’ raw talent, speed, skill and power, toppled the Storm-Panthers blueprint, the hallmarks of the modern game. NRL.com data shows the Storm, Panthers, Sharks, and Bulldogs lead in possession, completions, and run metres. The Broncos sit in the bottom half for those but top in tackle busts and linebreaks.
Historically, dynasties are built on elite systems. Top-two defence, and at least top-six attack. Saints (1956–66), Eels (1981–83, 1986), Panthers (2021–24), and the Roosters’ two-peat (2018–19). Since 2006, every premier has ranked top two defensively except the Sharks (3rd) and Cowboys (5th).
The Broncos broke a twenty year trend, conceding over 21 points per game. The worst since the 2005 Tigers.
Momentum and Chaos
Along with the 2001 Knights (9th in defence) and 2005 Tigers (10th), the 2025 Broncos (7th) now rank among the weakest defensive premiers ever, each driven by generational talents like Andrew Johns, Benji Marshall and Walsh. The Knights without Johns in that year won 2 from 8.
Like the 2005 Tigers, Brisbane surged from eleventh in Round 13 to finish fourth. From Round 14 onward, they outscored the Storm by two tries per game while matching their defensive output (about 19 points conceded). During that period, they had the best points differential of all teams. Winning wasn’t luck for all three. It was supreme talent harnessing momentum. But both the Knights and Tigers proved to be flashes in the pan. Will the Broncos?
| Team | Regular Season | Av. Score (P/D), A-D Rank |
| 01 Knights | From R18 (with Johns) |
40.6–19.2 (+21.4) 1,2 |
| 01 Eels* | All season | 32.3—15.6 (+16.7) 1,1 |
| 05 Tigers | From R14 | 33.4–18.0 (+15.0) 1,1 |
| 25 Broncos | From R14 | 32.2—19 .0 (+13.2) 2,5 |
The runs of the worst defensively-ranked premiers vs Eels 2001
| Year | Team | A pg | D pg | P/D |
Arank |
Drank |
| 2021 | Penrith | 28.2 | 11.9 | 16.3 | 4 | 1 |
| 1998 | Broncos | 28.7 | 12.9 | 15.8 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | Storm | 26.1 | 11.5 | 14.6 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | Penrith | 26.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | Roosters | 26.7 | 13.5 | 13.1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | Storm | 26.7 | 13.8 | 12.9 | 3 | 2 |
| 2017 | Storm | 26.4 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | Manly | 26.9 | 14.8 | 12.1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 | Penrith | 25.2 | 13.3 | 11.9 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000 | Broncos | 26.8 | 14.9 | 11.9 | 1 | 1 |
| 2004 | Dogs | 31.7 | 20.5 | 11.2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2019 | Roosters | 26.1 | 15.1 | 11.0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1999 | Storm | 26.6 | 16.3 | 10.3 | 1 | 5 |
| 2014 | Souths | 24.4 | 15.0 | 9.3 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 | Saints | 21.6 | 12.5 | 9.1 | 8 | 1 |
| 2012 | Storm | 24.1 | 15.0 | 9.1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | Roosters | 25.9 | 16.9 | 9.0 | 7 | 1 |
| 2011 | Manly | 22.5 | 13.8 | 8.7 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 | Penrith | 24.2 | 16.4 | 7.8 | 6 | 1 |
| 2018 | Roosters | 22.6 | 15.0 | 7.5 | 4 | 1 |
| 2016 | Cronulla | 24.2 | 16.8 | 7.3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2025 | Broncos | 28.3 | 21.2 | 7.2 | 2 | 7 |
| 2009 | Storm | 21.0 | 14.5 | 6.5 | 11 | 2 |
| 2015 | Cowboys | 24.5 | 18.9 | 5.5 | 2 | 5 |
| 2003 | Penrith | 27.5 | 22.0 | 5.5 | 3 | 7 |
| 2001 | Knights | 30.1 | 24.6 | 5.5 | 2 | 9 |
| 2006 | Broncos | 20.7 | 16.3 | 4.4 | 12 | 1 |
| 2005 | Tigers | 28.2 | 24.0 | 4.2 | 2 |
10 |
Points Differentials, NRL Era: Regular-season consistency of grand final winners. Teams down the bottom and lower defensive ranks proved flashes in the pan.
The Old Powers Fade
However, Craig Bellamy and Ivan Cleary both admitted their sides lacked their former defensive edge. The Panthers’ wall, once impenetrable, cracked under fatigue and edge frailty especially down Talagi’s left edge (16 missed tackles in two finals). Even Liam Martin looked spent. Without the deep-pocketed sugar daddies of the Broncos, Roosters, Dogs, or Souths, Penrith’s talent has progressively been drained. Has the dynasty finally hit the skids?
| Year | A rank | D rank | A pg | D pg | P/D |
| 2018 | 8 | 7 | 23.17 | 20.83 | + 2.34 |
| 2019 | 13 | 8 | 17.21 | 19.75 | - 2.54 |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | 26.85 | 11.9 | + 14.95 |
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | 28.17 | 11.92 | + 16.25 |
| 2022 | 2 | 1 | 26.5 | 13.75 | + 12.75 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 26.88 | 13 | + 13.88 |
| 2024 | 6 | 1 | 24.17 | 16.42 | + 7.75 |
| 2025 | 7 | 3 | 24 | 19.54 | + 4.46 |
The Decline of the Panthers
A Bold New World?
Last year, Mike Meehall Wood predicted a new off-the-ball attacking era away from the grind epoch sinc 2006. Perhaps, it's inevitable in the six-again Peter V’landys universe which aims to reduce wrestle and grind. Has the 2025 grand final, drawing a record 6.4m viewers and record digital engagement to crown the NRL "the undisputed heavyweight champion of Australian sport"? proved him right?
Still, Ivan Cleary’s question lingers: “What’s over?” for the Panthers. Is this just a pause before the giants adapt again, evolved and improved? After all, the Storm have been written off countless times before. And systems usually trump talent.
For the Eels, there are glimmers of hope.
Under Jason Ryles, they’re refining their systems with more resilience and developing an enterprising attack that suits this faster era. The final two months offers hope: five wins from seven, including a narrow victory over the premiers. Their +10.4 differential across that stretch bettered the Panthers, Storm, Bulldogs, Raiders, Sharks, and Warriors. Yet if their early-season form is the true baseline, trouble brews. Their fate may hinge on injuries, Mitchell Moses’ fitness, and mentality moving forward.
Are the tectonic plates shifting favouring flair over robotic defence? The Broncos may mark that turning point, unsettling the system-driven dominance of the past two decades. Whether it’s the dawn of a new era or another spectacular flash in the pan, rugby league has rarely looked more entertaining.
Broncos 2025: The Comeback Kings and Walsh' Wizardy. Maguire's aim to lift their fitness has paid dividends. They went one step further on 2023 grand-final under Kevin Walters.
Replies
What a great read HOE.
Teams / Coaches are finding it extremely difficult finding a strategy to stop Reece. He can quite literally do it all, to mind only Jarryd Hayne is in the ballpark when making comparisons. Daylight the rest.
As for us, Iongi is a star of the future, "not in Walsh's league though" The other unearthed youngsters may be good, but they are not superstars. With Lomax on the move perhaps, and Josh Ado Carr in his last contract year for us, all of a sudden our backline looks very very slim moving into the future. Mitch has got 4 really great years in front of him. I'd love to find a 5/8 that can also ball play to join our team and a strike centre. I'd be a lot happier then.
Well see Bellamy in presser, asked about how to stop Walsh and he said "It didn't work". The blunt honesty and the admission of just too good was a nice touch to the dominant performance.
In terms of Mitchell, thankfully we have been seeing halves get better with age. Many halves have great years in their mid 30's. That is promising for Moses.
I wonder if the club are looking at juniors outside of the pathways who might be ready this year to play some FG. Forwards wise we are good, but backs we lack a lot.
Hard to say really! Walsh is definitely a great player. When he scored that solo try in the grand final against the Storm it reminded me of the try Jarryd Hayne scored against the Dragons in the 2009 finals. Reminds me a bit of Hayne but Walsh is quicker! Depends on his attitude and if he becomes a flash in the pan. At least Walsh has won a premiership which is something Hayne never achieved sadly, robbed in 2009. Not sure how the Broncos will go next year! Different story being defending premiers! I reckon the Eels will make the top 4 in 2026 so long as injury free!! It won't take teams long to find a way to stop Walsh and limit his attack! As they do to all good players.