Grand final unearths huge priorities for Broncos to address before 2024

They gathered in the hundreds to welcome their boys home. Not to mourn what ultimately proved a heartbreaking defeat, but celebrate the return to prominence of the Brisbane Broncos.

Fans stormed Riverstage on Monday morning to rejoice as the team arrived home from a 26-24 defeat to the Penrith Panthers.

Broncos players greet fans at Riverstage on Monday.Credit: AAP

Even with proceedings held up as flight delays kept the team in Sydney, under scorching skies the supporters only strengthened in numbers.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters addressed the hysterical audience passionately, declaring this was not the end of the club’s resurgence.

“It is just the start, we started a couple of years back and the progress has been great,” Walters said.

“We’ve got to be there again next year, and the year after, and the year after.

“We’re certainly building, and we learnt a lot last night too, certainly I did as a coach, and I’m sure the players learnt a lot as well. It just makes us steely and harder for next year now.”

Keeping the band together

Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam already posed the potential to send the NRL’s player market into a frenzy should he make himself available from November 1.

His near-heroics on Sunday night will only have enhanced his worth. The 20-year-old was a late Nathan Cleary try away from helping himself to a remarkable Clive Churchill Medal.

Ezra Mam scored a near match-winning hat-trick.Credit: Getty

Mam’s 20-minute burst after halftime – win or lose – will go down in grand final folklore, his hat-trick shell-shocking the two-time defending champions and thrusting Brisbane fans into hysterics over a 24-8 lead.

Two of his tries were moments of pure individual brilliance, slicing through for a pair of line breaks and touching down at break-neck speed.

“I’m pretty speechless about that, but I just happened to get the ball in my hands and score a couple of tries,” Mam told the Riverstage crowd.

“It was very exciting, to hear the crowd cheering for us and myself – every time I walked back to the posts there would be little chants.

“It was a pretty special night, obviously I’ve dreamt of it – running out and playing a grand final. It was good to see the boys go out there and play their hearts out.”

Mam went on to finish with three tries, two line breaks, 160 running metres and six tackle busts. No doubt those efforts will have him commanding significantly more money than the reported $240,000 a year his current deal pays, when that contract expires in 2024.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has said he intended to extend Mam’s stay at Red Hill before he can be approached by rival clubs, and that will need to be a priority over the next four weeks.

Other players who will be free to negotiate with potential suitors in a month’s time will be Kurt Capewell, Brendan Piakura, Jordan Riki, Billy Walters and captain Adam Reynolds.

While Mam is a clear number one retention coup, those others were so crucial to this year’s grand final charge. Expect the club to focus on keeping the nucleus of this squad together over bringing in other players.

Adam Reynolds of the Broncos reacts after a Panthers try.Credit: Getty Images

“Coming into a fresh preseason, a lot of young fellas who were just keen and eager to learn and wanted to get better every day,” Reynolds said on Monday.

“They applied themselves terrifically throughout the season, and we saw a product of that last night – Ezra Mam had a terrific game and he’s worked extremely hard, along with the rest of the boys.

“We’re a bit disappointed, but I’m extremely proud of the group and how far we’ve come, and we’re only going to be better next year.”

Who steps up to fill massive voids?

Success in the NRL often leads to a gluttony of players being forced out of the club due to salary cap restraints.

The Panthers have been proof of this.

On the back of their first two titles they lost the likes of Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau and Capewell. Next season, they will lose Stephen Crichton to the Bulldogs.

Brisbane have already been unable to keep stars Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler (Dolphins), as well as interchange prop Keenan Palasia (Titans).

Thomas Flegler of the Broncos celebrates with teammates after scoring a try.Credit: Getty Images

All three were huge on Sunday night.

Farnworth made up for a costly mistake from a short drop-out which led to the Panthers’ first try, running for 185 metres and eight tackle busts, while Flegler overcame a head injury assessment to score right on halftime to go with 33 tackles (no misses), two offloads, five tackle busts and 93 metres.

Palasia, since returning from his mid-season axing to the Queensland Cup, has been in career best form, ensuring once Brisbane’s starting props are off the field they have not lost any momentum.

In the decider, the 26-year-old ran for 150 metres and made 20 tackles.

Brisbane will welcome unheralded Roosters forward Fletcher Baker in 2024, but aside from that very little movement will be likely as Walters and his staff juggle their cap to keep their grand final crop together.

Veterans Corey Jensen and Martin Taupau will remain at Red Hill, while young gun Xavier Willison will return from a syndesmosis injury eager to capitalise on the promising strides he took this year.

As for replacing Farnworth, rookie centre Deine Mariner comes with enormous hype, signed through until the end of 2027 and earmarked as the Broncos’ best centre prospect since Steve Renouf.

Club legend Corey Oates, who was 18th man on Sunday, still faces an uncertain future beyond this year, but has indicated he would be willing to take a pay cut to remain a Bronco.

Herbie Farnworth will leave a huge void in the Broncos backline.Credit: Tertius Pickard

Hunt is on for the complete performance

As the game entered the final quarter, the Broncos were marching. Up by 16 points, they largely had no right to be in that position, as the Panthers dominated territory and possession.

Through Mam and the rest of the youthful contingent, Brisbane proved they were perhaps the only team with the firepower to crack Penrith’s defensive wall.

Nathan Cleary cruises past Reece Walsh to score the match-winning try.Credit: Getty Images

They finished the game with just 44 per cent of possession. In the end, errors proved too costly.

Both teams had 38 chances with the ball. Penrith completed 37 of them, Brisbane just 27.

Even after taking their 24-8 lead, the Broncos had another chance to attack. A wayward pass in enemy territory went to ground, the desperate Panthers got there first.

They would march up field, and Brisbane were unable to get back the momentum and stem the mountain of pressure being piled on them.

It appeared as though the wind was taken out of their sails. Coach Walters will continue to push his unit to chance their arm, but the hunt will continue to turn flashes of brilliance into 80 minutes of quality football.

“That second period there for 20 minutes that’s the Broncos that I know, and that’s where we’ll get to – we’ll do that for 80,” Walters said.

“We’re not there yet, but when we do we’ll win premiership. We’re not far off, but we’re getting there.”

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