Craig Bellamy lauds Broncos after qualifying final and pinpoints key to Brisbane’s NRL premiership hopes

Master coach Craig Bellamy has lauded Brisbane’s premiership credentials after a qualifying final blitz put his former understudy Kevin Walters within two wins of Broncos immortality.

The Broncos have cruised into the NRL preliminary final.

Storm supercoach Craig Bellamy has declared Kevin Walters can steer the Broncos to a drought-breaking premiership in the wake of Brisbane’s finals belting of Melbourne.

The Broncos sealed a preliminary final berth and are now just one win from their first grand final since 2015 after a ruthless drubbing of the Storm on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.

The 26-0 thumping was just the second time the mighty Storm have failed to score a point in their 20-year finals history – they lost 40-0 to Manly in the 2008 decider – and it has convinced Bellamy the Broncos are the real deal.

If anyone can measure a premiership team, it’s Bellamy, who has reached nine grand finals and won five premierships, two of which (2007 and 2009) were stripped due to salary-cap breaches.

While minor premiers Penrith are favourites to clinch a third consecutive premiership this season, Bellamy believes his good mate Walters can reach Broncos Immortality by snapping Brisbane’s 17-year title drought.

Kevin Walters and Craig Bellamy on the track in Melbourne.

Asked if Brisbane can win this year’s premiership, Bellamy said: “Without a doubt.

“People might not believe me, but the Broncos and Penrith have been well ahead of all the other teams, as far as what I’ve seen.

“September is a new competition as well. If they beat us last week (in the final round of the regular season), the Broncos would have been minor premiers, you have had a pretty good year when you are a minor premier.

“They (minor premierships) are hard to win … the Broncos can certainly go all the way.”

There is a view the Broncos are the only team with the strike weapons across the park to beat powerhouse Penrith if both teams reach this year’s grand final.

The Broncos crushed their Storm hoodoo in the qualifying final. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

But Bellamy says it’s Brisbane’s brutal attitude without the ball that has transformed Walters’ troops from finals also-rans to title contenders in the space of 12 months.

“Their attack is a real strong point, but the biggest thing that has changed this year to be honest is their defence,” Bellamy said.

“They seemed to disrupt us a fair bit (on Friday night) and that’s the area where they have improved the most.

“(Adam) Reynolds (halfback) hasn’t been there for a little bit either and he has made a massive difference.

“We all know what a great kicker he is, but some of his defensive plays were outstanding.”

The Broncos finished the regular season with the second best defensive record behind Penrith. They conceded 425 points at an average of 17 per game, still well behind top dogs Penrith, who leaked 312 at a miserly 13 per match.

The previous season, the Broncos conceded a whopping 550 points at 22 per game, meaning Brisbane have improved their defence by more than 20 per cent in 2023.

Kevin Walters was thrilled with his side’s defensive effort. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“That (Brisbane’s defence) was the most pleasing thing,” Walters said of his side’s qualifying-final disposal of the Storm.

“You could see the resolve amongst them at halftime.

“I got around to a few of them and there were a few things we needed to fix up with our attack, but our defence was really good.

“The Storm have been a good side for a long time, they can score points quickly, so it was important for us to keep defending the way we did.

“The longer the game went, the more pressure we put on them in defence.

“Our defence is something we have worked hard on from way back in November last year.

“It’s slowly coming together.”

Originally published as Craig Bellamy lauds Broncos after qualifying final and pinpoints key to Brisbane’s NRL premiership hopes