NRL 2023: Brisbane Broncos win 13-12 over Penrith Panthers, Adam Reynolds masterclass

The Broncos stunned Penrith on their own turf in a round one boilover, a result that left Brisbane coach Kevin Walters grinning and Panthers coach Ivan Cleary questioning a new recruit.

Adam Reynolds finally has his revenge for the 2021 grand final, producing a masterclass to stun the Panthers. Picture: NRL Imagery.

A jubilant Kevin Walters lauded one of the greatest defensive displays in Brisbane’s history in the wake of the Broncos’ monumental upset of defending premiers Penrith.

The Broncos could not have produced a more emphatic statement to launch the new season after beating the best team in the league on their own Penrith turf in a classic round 1 boilover at BlueBet Stadium.

The Panthers have spent the past three years torching the league. They had won 25 of their past 27 matches at home.

Brisbane’s defence swarmed the Panthers all night. Picture: Getty Images

THE BEST WALTERS HAS SEEN

But their quest for a hat-trick of premierships suffered a first-up jolt at the hands of a Brisbane side building its ‘Kev-olution’ on grit, guts and defensive granite.

In his 49th game as Broncos coach since taking charge in 2021, Walters was beaming, paying tribute to his side’s defensive heart after breaking Penrith’s spirit on a night in which Brisbane simply believed.

“That’s the best defence I’ve seen since I’ve been back at the club in the last three years,” Walters said following Brisbane’s 13-12 upset of the top dogs.

“I was really pleased with our tryline defence.

“That (defence) was one of the things from last year that we wanted to be better at.

“It’s a really good win for us to start our year. Penrith have been a great side and everyone is chasing them.

“We have a big season ahead and this is one game of many. It was a nice positive start for our defence.”

Players scuffle during the match. Picture: Getty Images

CLEARY QUESTIONS INTENSITY OF NEW RECRUIT

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary agreed that his team was disjointed though played some good footy, too.

“So, little bit of early season rust. The team’s different, too, especially at dummy-half. Short pre-season. Both games we’ve played, weather’s been bad. That all adds up.

“We’ve got some work to do there but I’m sure we’ll do it,” Cleary said.

On the Panthers’ left edge where Luke Garner was in the big shoes of Kikau, Cleary said his Wests Tigers recruit would take a while to get used to his teammates – and vice versa.

“It definitely was an improvement on the last game. [But] it’s going to take ‘Garns’ a while to get used to how we play and the intensity we play. Definitely some steps there,” Cleary said, adding that the game went down to the wire and he didn’t don’t think the team lost any friends from the effort.

DEFENCE THE BACKBONE OF A BOILOVER

Wherever Penrith moved, Broncos defenders swarmed like hungry flies on snags at a summer barbecue.

Pat Carrigan was typically tireless, topping the Brisbane tackle count with 48, while Jordan Riki (42), Cory Paix (32) and Payne Haas (27) kept bending Penrith runners backwards.

Even pint-sized halfback Adam Reynolds, returning from a back injury, got stuck in, making 27 tackles as the Broncos revelled in the graft and grind that underpins finals campaigns.

The Broncos boilover sets up a mouth-watering Queensland derby blockbuster against the Cowboys next Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.

“I felt good,” Reynolds said of his first game of the season after missing all three trials.

“I had a good preparation through the week and I felt 100 per cent coming into the game.

“This gives us a bit of confidence.

“It’s only round 1, so we can’t get carried away, but ‘Kevvie’ has done a great job preparing us for the season and there’s still some improvement.”

Ezra Mam of the Broncos celebrates victory. Picture: Getty Images

REYNOLDS MASTERCLASS STUNS PENRITH

No Reece Lightning. No worries.

The Broncos overcame the pre-game loss of star recruit Reece Walsh to send shockwaves across the NRL competition with a monster 13-12 boilover of two-time premiers Penrith in an epic season opener at BlueBet Stadium.

With Walsh (cheekbone) sidelined, the Broncos put aside glamour in greasy conditions and defended like demons to stun the top dogs and celebrate one of the finest wins in the club’s 35-year history.

The pain of last season’s top-eight collapse was beautifully buried by a braveheart performance that kicked off Brisbane’s season in style and was the first emphatic sign the Broncos are finals material in 2023.

Trailing 6-0 early, the Broncos flexed their muscle to pommel the Panthers, keeping the champions tryless for a 69-minute period as a Herbie Farnworth double sealed Brisbane’s first win at Penrith in 14 years.

Adam Reynolds finally has his revenge for the 2021 grand final, producing a masterclass to stun the Panthers. Picture: NRL Imagery.

The Broncos led 12-6 at half-time and while they appeared home when halfback Adam Reynolds slotted a field goal nine minutes from time for 13-6, the visitors were forced to stave off a barnstorming Penrith finish.

It was tough. It was desperate. It was the type of triumph that builds premiership wins.

BRICK WALL BRONCOS

Brisbane’s mental fragility in defence cost them a finals berth last season. Coach Kevin Walters promised his troops would muscle up without the ball this season.

It appears they have.

The Broncos’ defensive display was magnificent. They missed just six tackles in the opening 40 minutes and repelled wave after wave of attack. The scoring power of the best team in the league was nullified by a Brisbane outfit that showed supreme line speed and thrived on the defensive hunger of Pat Carrigan and Jordan Riki, who made 90 tackles between them.

Prop Payne Haas (171 metres and 27 tackles) was heroic up front, while nuggety rake Cory Paix was Brisbane’s Energiser Bunny.

Titles aren’t won in March but if Brisbane maintain the rage in defence, they will play finals in September.

It was a mixed night for Selwyn Cobbo, showing he has a lot to improve on if he wants to claim the No. 1 jersey full-time. Picture: Getty Images.

ROLLERCOASTER COBBO

Boom Broncos flyer Selwyn Cobbo has a lot to learn in his desire to be Brisbane’s No. 1 fullback.

In the absence of the injured Walsh, Cobbo produced some typically fearless charges, bolting for 176 metres, but his backfield bravery was marred by two runs that saw him thrown into touch on a wet and slippery night.

ELECTRIC EZRA

Brisbane won’t just have Walsh chiming in at fullback; they also possess a scrumbase livewire in Ezra Mam, who made his first sizzling statement of 2023 when he tore the premiers apart in the 20th minute.

The 20-year-old speared through the line and produced a clever instinctive kick ahead for Farnworth, whose second try propelled the visitors to a 12-6 lead.

Mam, Brisbane’s 2022 rookie of the year, has the footwork to unlock any team at any time. To complete a fine first-up start, Mam was gutsy in defence.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

Farnworth is a class act. His defection to the Dolphins next season is a huge blow for the Broncos and the evidence was palpable at Penrith as he terrorised the premiers on Brisbane’s left edge.

The British Test star ran a superb line to step through in the 16th minute and his second try – refusing to give up and outpacing Brian To’o to win the race to Mam’s kick – was a sublime snapshot of the desperation that broke Penrith’s spirit.

Departing Bronco Herbie Farnworth was a standout, scoring both of Brisbane’s tries. Picture: Getty Images.

ANOTHER BRUTAL WAKE-UP CALL FOR PANTHERS

—Matt Cleary

If the shock loss to St Helens in the World Club Challenge wasn’t indication enough, Penrith Panthers fans have been dealt another reality check after the premiers went down in a 13-12 thriller to Brisbane Broncos at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night.

While they scored a genuine contender for try of the year in front of a near-capacity crowd of 17,125, it looked clear that life without the hard-charging Viliame Kikau and artful ruck dodger Api Koroisau means a Panthers premiership three-peat will be far from a cakewalk.

Not that it ever was going to be, of course. And we are less than half a round into season ‘23. And the Broncos played inspired, physical and controlled rugby league in showery conditions.

The Panthers were all smiles early on, but were stunned by the Broncos resilience in defence. Picture: Getty Images.

A stunning seventh minute try by Stephen Crichton was extinguished by two fine tries to Herbie Farnworth – both from Crichton defensive errors – and the Broncos took a 12-6 lead to the break.

The second half was mostly if not all Penrith. Time and again they threw bodies and grubbers at the Brisbane line, thwarted only by desperate, swarming Broncos defence.

Jarome Luai was halted inches from the tryline. Panthers reserve rake Soni Luke would not be denied, his try with three minutes to play setting up a ding-dong finish.

When stand-in fullback Selwyn Cobbo retrieved a 45m Cleary field goal attempt in his in-goal, and lost the ball in a tackle, the ball spilling behind his line, Penrith fans believed they’d escaped Alcatraz. Yet a penalty resulted. And a valuable two points to Brisbane followed shortly thereafter.

Originally published as NRL 2023: Brisbane Broncos win 13-12 over Penrith Panthers, Adam Reynolds masterclass