NRL 2023: Claiming minor premiership would be a disaster for Brisbane Broncos

The good news for Brisbane is that they could win the minor premiership on Thursday. The bad news is it will come with a 14-year curse.

Kevin Walters. Picture: NRL Photos

Brisbane will be presented with a bonus and a booby trap if they beat their hoodoo gurus, the Melbourne Storm, on Thursday.

The bonus is that they will win the NRL minor premiership for the first time in 23 years but the pitfall is that means they would confront the Storm - their eternal bogey team - again in the first week of the finals at Suncorp Stadium.

Battered Brisbane are facing a triple blow with Kotoni Staggs to join Adam Reynolds (calf) and Pat Carrigan (foot) on the sideline as they prepare for a nightmare showdown with the team for whom they have simply had no answer.

Brisbane have not beaten the Storm at Suncorp for 14 years - a 5277 day drought - and have won just two of the last 25 matches between the two clubs including a losing streak of 13.

So even if Brisbane crack the curse on Thursday, history tells us it will be formidable task to again beat the Storm the following week in the first versus fourth playoff.

“The last time they beat Melbourne at Suncorp was in (2009), so it’s quite a lengthy time,” Corey Parker said on Fox League.

Brisbane can seal the minor premiership in the final round - but do they want to? Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty

“A lot of the Melbourne players are Queenslanders who love playing at Suncorp, but styles beat teams sometimes and the Storm have a style that has been able to dismantle the Broncos. The Broncos we see at the moment is different to what we have seen in recent years.

“Do they have enough to go through and beat the Storm? We’ll see. Are Reynolds and Pat Carrigan going to be there (this week)? Unlikely.

“The Broncos get you out of your seat, it’s terrific to watch, but that style won’t hold up when you come up against the rock solid teams like Penrith and Melbourne.

“You need stability and someone to pull in the reins.”

Broncos coach Kevin Walters, who used to be an assistant coach at the Storm and is a long-time admirer of their systems, says he would relish the prospect of playing the Storm twice.

“I think that would be fantastic ... I’m serious,’’ Walters said.

“They have been the benchmark for a long time. You want to play against the best teams.’’

Reynolds expressed confidence he and Carrigan would be available for the first final in an interview with Triple M on Sunday but neither selection is considered routine.

Staggs will be back for the final if he accepts a one-mateh ban for elbowing Jordan Rapana on Saturday.

Kevin Walters would relish facing the Storm back-to-back. Picture: NRL Photos

There were times when the Broncos lacked cohesion during their still excellent 29-18 win over the Raiders and Fox League’s former Test fullback Greg Alexander admitted playing the Storm in a final would be a major test for Brisbane if Carrigan and Reynolds miss their fitness deadlines.

“I know Jock Madden did a terrific job again and kicked well, but he is not Adam Reynolds and hasn’t got his finals experience,’’ Alexander said.

“Patrick Carrigan is one of the best forwards in the games so if those two aren’t fit for week one of the finals, of course it changes the landscape. You can’t have two players of their stature out of the team and it not have an effect.

“Does that mean the Broncos can’t win the game they are playing? No, but it does change the landscape.’’

Originally published as NRL 2023: Claiming minor premiership would be a disaster for Brisbane Broncos