NRL grand final tips: Phil Gould expects Broncos to be thrashed by Panthers

Phil Gould has doubled down on his early season Broncos bashing declaring that Brisbane will be thrashed by Penrith in the grand final.

Phil Gould (inset) gives the Broncos no chance against Penrith in the 2023 NRL grand final.

Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould has given the Broncos another brutal uppercut by claiming Brisbane will be flogged by the Panthers in Sunday night’s grand final.

Gould – the man who coached Penrith to their historic premiership win in 1991 – believes the Broncos will be smashed by 20 points by the Panthers juggernaut in the NRL decider at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

It is the latest Broncos slapdown from Gould, the now Bulldogs football boss who is doubling down on Brisbane after declaring earlier this year Kevin Walters’ troops lacked the defensive steel to win this year’s title.

The Broncos are just 80 minutes away from making Gould eat humble pie, with Brisbane charging to their first decider since 2015 on the back of the second best defensive output in the league – behind Penrith.

Brisbane are in red-hot form after winning their two finals by a total of 68-12 – mauling Melbourne 26-0 before their 42-12 whipping of the Warriors in the preliminary final last Saturday night.

Phil Gould expects the Panthers to defeat Brisbane in the grand final. Picture: Julian Andrews

But for Gould, it won’t be enough, with the two-time premiership coach saying Brisbane will be trounced by a Penrith team hungry for rugby league’s first title ‘Three-Peat’ since the golden Eels era 40 years ago.

Asked on Channel 9’s 100% Footy program who will win this year’s grand final, Gould didn’t hold back.

“Panthers win by 20,” Gould deadpanned.

When shocked host James Bracey responded by saying, “Wow”, Gould remained steadfast in his belief this year’s decider will be a Panthers blowout.

“Yeah (the scoreline will be) 30-10,” Gould replied.

“I said 30-10 last week (for the Storm-Panthers prelim) and what did it finish up … 38-4.

“I was close to that.”

In July, Gould, speaking on the same program, was adamant the Broncos didn’t have the defensive systems to break their 17-year title drought this season.

Coach Kevin Walters and Reece Walsh at a the Broncos last training session before departing for Sydney. Picture: Liam Kidston

“I don’t think the Broncos can win the comp this year,” said Gould, one of the code’s sharpest minds.

“I just don’t see enough in their defence to win it.

“I think the Panthers have got a far better defence than they have, but they (the Broncos) have certainly got the athleticism and the strike power.

“They’re a good side, their performances show that, but they’re not going to beat Penrith at finals time.”

At the time, Gould’s assessment triggered a riposte from Walters, whose Broncos side showed brilliant defensive steel to upset Penrith 13-12 away from home in round one.

Walters suggested the Canterbury supremo focus on the shambolic Bulldogs, who finished the season third last, ironically with the worst defensive record in the league, leaking a whopping 769 points compared to Brisbane’s 425.

“We are worried about ourselves and Phil should be doing the same (with the Bulldogs),” Walters said.

“We know we have some work to do defensively, we are aware of that, we are working hard on that.

“But we have come a long way with our defence compared to last year.”

Speaking at the club’s fan day on Monday, Walters is adamant Brisbane can upset the Panthers to clinch their seventh premiership.

“There’s a lot of belief within our group both the players and coaching staff and everyone involved in the club,” he said.

“We can definitely win this game, 100 per cent.

“We’re not the complete package, so we’re working really hard to get that complete package.

“When we do that, we might change a few people’s minds.”

Originally published as NRL grand final tips: Phil Gould expects Broncos to be thrashed by Panthers