Broncos’ premiership fairytale in tatters as Panthers clinch NRL grand final with 26-24 win

Brisbane had one hand on the NRL trophy when Mam scored three tries in 11 minutes — but a Nathan Cleary-inspired fightback left the Broncos battered and broken.

Reece Walsh and the Broncos have had their hearts broken by Penrith. Picture: Getty Images

For the second consecutive grand final, the Broncos have suffered the most painful sporting heartbreak.

Brisbane’s premiership fairytale was left in tatters as the Broncos suffered the greatest collapse in grand-final history with a crushing 26-24 loss to Penrith in the NRL decider on Sunday night at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Before 81,947 fans, the Broncos looked to have smashed their 17-year premiership drought when a brilliant hat-trick from boom five-eighth Ezra Mam fired Brisbane to a 24-8 lead after 56 minutes.

But the Panthers underlined their championship qualities, scoring three tries in the final quarter to leave Brisbane gutted — evoking images of the Broncos’ crushing extra-time loss to the Cowboys in the 2015 grand final.

It gave Penrith rugby league’s first hat-trick of titles in 40 years since Parramatta’s triumphs in 1981-83 and was the biggest fightback in a decider, eclipsing Melbourne’s 14-point comeback to beat the Dragons in 1999,

This was totally gut-wrenching for the Broncos. They lost from a seemingly unloseable position.

“We let that one slip,” Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds said.

“It’s a hard one to take.”

Adam Reynolds and the Broncos were left shattered by their grand final defeat. Picture: Getty Images

HAUNTED BRONCOS

This was a numbing capitulation.

Brisbane had one hand on the NRL trophy when Mam scored three tries in 11 minutes to put the Broncos within tantalising sight of their first premiership since 2006.

But Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary demonstrated why he is the NRL’s No.1 player after orchestrating an unfathomable resurrection to leave the Broncos battered and broken on the Homebush turf.

With Penrith trailing 24-8, Moses Leota (63rd) and Stephen Crichton (68th) crossed before Cleary sliced through three minutes from time to continue Brisbane’s grand-final curse.

“There is no emotion, it is very quiet in the sheds,” Broncos coach Kevin Walters said.

“The whole stadium thought we had done enough.

“It’s hard to get your head around what happened.

“If you look back to 2015, we lost in a similar fashion.

“Once the dust settles, everyone can be extremely proud, but we didn’t get the premiership, that pisses us off.”

Ezra Mam was electric for the Broncos. Picture: Adam Head

ELECTRIC EZRA

Young Broncos pivot Mam, 20, didn’t deserve to be in a losing team. His name could be engraved on the Clive Churchill Medal.

With Brisbane trailing 8-6 at half-time, Mam speared through just after the break for a 12-8 lead and when he backed up a flying Reece Walsh for his third try in the 56th minute, the Panthers were in disarray at 24-8.

Mam finished with 147 metres, seven tackle busts and two line breaks in a mighty display in his grand-final debut.

Attacking cohort Walsh was erratic, mixing his try assist with some crucial errors as Penrith applied pressure.

“That was super human from Ezra,” Walters said.

“He showed what talent he has got, but sometimes the football gods take things away from you.”

Adam Reynolds concoles Ezra Mam after the game. Picture: Adam Head

HERBIE’S HEARTBREAK

Herbie Farnworth has been one of Brisbane’s best players this season but how he would wish for his time all over again after the blunder that gifted Penrith the opening try of the match.

A Broncos short dropout in the 18th minute ended in tears when Farnworth batted it back instead of catching it on the 10-metre line to regain possession.

The ball bobbled into the path of Penrith hooker Mitch Kenny, who scored the easiest try of his career to get the Panthers rolling at 6-0.

Farnworth could have crumbled. Instead, the British Test star showed great mental resolve. He pulled off three trysavers in the first half alone and had five tackle busts, but will rue his early gaffe.

BUMBLING BRONCOS

Brisbane’s first half was costly. The Panthers were slick and settled. The Broncos were frantic and frustrated.

Given their erratic first half, the Broncos did incredibly well to trail by just two points, 8-6, at the break. The Broncos’ completed at a woeful 44 per cent in the first 30 minutes, but despite lacking patience, looking disjointed and losing the midfield to the Panthers, Brisbane’s scramble saved them.

Kevin Walters watches on after Brisbane’s grand final defeat. Picture: Adam Head

SO CLOSE KEV

Broncos coach Kevin Walters went so close to making history.

A Brisbane win would have resulted in him becoming the first person since the birth of the NRL era in 1998 to savour a premiership as a player and coach.

Walters was an assistant coach when the Broncos lost the 2015 grand final and this would have been the perfect antidote to that pain.

But Walters must wait another day after watching his braveheart Broncos fall just one step short of conquering the NRL’s premiership Everest.

“The first half cost us,” he said.

“Losing a grand final doesn’t make you more hungry.

“When we play 80 minutes, we will win premierships, we’re a lot closer than what we were 12 months ago.”

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Originally published as Broncos’ premiership fairytale in tatters as Panthers clinch NRL grand final with 26-24 win