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6 days ago
11
Brisbane have ended Penrith’s five-peat dream with a stunning 16-14 comeback victory to set up an NRL grand final showdown with fierce rivals Melbourne.
Captain Adam Reynolds landed a sideline conversion in the 77th minute to win it and put to bed the demons of missing from the sideline in the 2021 grand final against the Panthers while playing for South Sydney.
The Broncos, trailing 14-0 at half-time, shocked the four-time defending premiers in the preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
The home side secured their 12th win in the past 14 matches on the back of a brilliant second half.
The first big play came from back-rower Jordan Riki who stopped Nathan Cleary on the tryline when the visitors appeared set to go up by 20 points.
Reynolds, returning from a seven-week layoff with a hamstring injury, laid on a try at the other end for centre Kotoni Staggs with a deflected grubber.
Brisbane repelled raid after raid before prop Xavier Willison charged over in the 70th minute.
Fullback Reece Walsh, in traffic, set up winger Deine Mariner in the 76th minute.
Walsh had missed the previous conversion and handed over to Reynolds for the sideline conversion which he landed.
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The Broncos have come back to win this year after trailing by 18 points, twice from 16 points and on another occasion from 14 points behind.
The Panthers dominated the first half with two tries to winger Paul Alamoti.
More to come …
