Analysis: How a small tweak finally unlocked potent Broncos attack in 2025

Brisbane has gone from crisis mode to a genuine premiership threat thanks to a small tweak to their attacking game plan. We analyse how Michael Maguire finally unlocked his arsenal of weapons.

This is the subtle change in Michael Maguire’s game plan that has reignited Brisbane’s season and could turn the Broncos into a genuine title threat.

It’s a simple attacking tweak that has helped put to bed calls Brisbane’s star-studded outfit is too flashy and unwilling to do the tough stuff.

The Broncos are playing direct and setting up their attacking plays with tough runs through the middle of the field.

Heat maps comparing Brisbane’s last four losses, through rounds nine to 13, with wins against the Titans, Cronulla and Warriors also show Brisbane are starting more runs through the middle of the field before turning to their edges in attacking positions.

The evidence of which has been in Brisbane’s last three victories, highlighted none more so in the side’s 26-12 win over the Warriors last weekend.

The sideways attack was replaced with direct short balls and turning balls on the inside for hard carries through the middle of the field.

Brisbane’s attack is heating up.

BRONCOS HEAT MAP COMPARISON

ROUND 9-13

A heat map of Brisbane's attack from round 9-13 shows runs starts were less concentrated through the middle and edges. Fox Sports Lab

L to Right: Fox Sports Lab

ROUND 14-17

A heat map of Brisbane's three wins shows an increase of run starts in the middle - especially in the attacking and edges of the field. Fox Sports Lab

L to Right: Fox Sports Lab

14th minute vs Warriors

Brisbane truck the ball forward through the middle with runs from forwards Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas, Jordan Riki and Corey Jenson.

The forward ruck momentum forces the Warriors’ defensive line to compress with five-eighth Ezra Mam spotting an overlap on the last tackle on the left side of the field.

His perfectly executed pass finds Josiah Kaparani who finishes the attacking raid, taking Brisbane’s lead to 10-0 after 14 minutes.

Brisbane's perfect four-tackle play.

39th minute vs Warriors

A short ball on the inside from hooker Corey Paix finds Kobe Hetherington on the burst, who makes a 20 metre break through the middle. An Adam Reynolds kick is charged down but again a forward, this time it’s the in-form Xavier Willison, is there to regather and produces another rampaging run through the middle. It puts the Broncos deep in the Warriors’ attacking zone, allowing Walsh to find a short ball to Gehamat Shibasaki, who scores right on the halftime siren.

Hetherington punches through the ruck.

59th minute vs Warriors

Brisbane turned the ball on the inside three times before an inside pass from Reynolds to Hetherington created a half-break through the middle in the Warriors’ red zone. While the set did not result in any points, the direct runs put the Broncos in a position to force a dropout, keeping pressure on the Warriors defence.

Hetherington finds space from an inside ball.

REECE WALSH FACTOR

The Reece Walsh factor is Brisbane’s resurgence can’t be understated.

Since returning from a knee injury in Round 14, Walsh has replaced his twinkled toed runs with tough carries through the middle of the field.

According to Code Sports Stats, Walsh had already made five runs in the opening 14 minutes against the Warriors.

With his reputation for elusiveness, Walsh’s carries forced the Warriors’ defence to swarm the fullback with three-man tackles leaving the defence in a state of retreat.

FORWARD PACK

Brisbane’s three-game winning streak has also coincided with a forward pack reshuffle.

After preferring Pat Carrigan as Payne Haas’ prop partner for most of the season, Maguire shifted Carrigan at lock - arguably his best position.

Corey Jensen is now starting at prop alongside Haas.

Willison’s form off the bench has also been a huge contributing factor.

According to Code Sports Stats, the hulking young forward has averaged 116 metres from the bench during Brisbane’s winning streak, compared to just 64 metres in four games before.

While back rowers Brendan Piakura and Riki are averaging 82 and 85 metres, up 12 and 18 metres, respectively, over the past three games.

TEETHING ISSUES

Two weeks ago against Cronulla, Brisbane reverted to their old ways in the opening forty minutes, and it almost cost them two crucial competition points.

Rather than play direct through the middle, the ball was shifted from left to right early in the tackle count. The Sharks made easy work of the sideways attack.

By the 20-minute mark, the Broncos had 80 per cent possession but only had a single try to show for it. And that came through a burrowing effort close to the line from hooker Corey Paix.

In the 25th minute, halfback Adam Reynolds again went sideways on the fourth tackle and was easily collared by Cronulla’s Briton Nikora.

Broncos shift the ball sideways against Sharks.

Walsh finds himself as fifth tackle option after poor set.

It left Walsh at first receiver and the fullback conceded a seven tackle set with a poor kick to finish the set.

“It was a bad set from the Brisbane Broncos, they were looking threatening beforehand but then they don’t want to play straight and direct,” Cooper Cronk said in Fox League commentary.

“They want to zing the ball left and right without engaging the Sharks’ defence. Therefore Adam Reynolds got caught out.

“They need to go back to the short passes and running hard as opposed to the long passes and width.”

TURNING TIDE

The tide turned on the next attacking set with Brisbane opting to play direct and through the middle.

A short inside ball put Hetherington through a hole and Willison in support was able to get away an offload to Mam, who crossed for a four-pointer.

“The tries the Broncos have scored this afternoon is the blueprint of how the Broncos should come out and attack… It’s great lead up work from Reynolds, he plays back inside with a short pass, support play back through the middle… and another short pass straight to Ezra Mam,” Cronk said.

Click or drag the image to reveal Cooper Cronk’s analysis

“Straight, direct passes with a lot of support, that’s the blueprint for the Broncos.”

Brisbane ran down the scoreboard with four second half tries, created on the back of building a set playing direct and with forward momentum.

Brisbane’s blueprint will be put to the test on Friday night against Canterbury without Origin stars Haas, Carrigan and Walsh - all key architects in executing Maguire’s winning game plan.

Originally published as Analysis: How a small tweak finally unlocked potent Broncos attack in 2025