Key events
Summary
Jonathan Howcroft
There is nothing left for me to say. Thank you for joining me this year, I can’t wait to do it all again in 2026.
Brisbane Broncos win the 2025 NRL Premiership
In a lovely touch, Reynolds then invites injured teammate Billy Walters onto the stage to help him lug the Provan-Summons trophy over to the rest of the Broncos squad. Once there they hoist it above their heads as confetti rains down on Accor Stadium.
At the end of the most magnificent seven months of sport, Brisbane Broncos are the best.
Finally, Adam Reynolds takes the mic. He thanks Melbourne Storm for continuing to set the standard in the competition. He thanks the administrators for delivering his “favourite year” of footy. He salutes the many thousands of noisey traveling fans in the stands. And the players: “Let’s party, eh.”
Michael Maguire and his victorious players are called one by one to accept the applause of the traveling Brisbane supporters and accept their winner’s medals.
This makes it a grand final double for the Broncos, remember, after their NRLW triumph earlier today.
Melbourne skipper Harry Grant has the unenviable task of standing on the dais and thanking the administrators and referees and crediting the Broncos. He does so with aplomb, including a nice shoutout to Ben Hunt for finally securing a premiership medal.
Reece Walsh is awarded the Clive Churchill Medal
The easiest decision in the history of player of the match awards. Reece Walsh was on another level tonight. Worthy of all the hype, and more.
Credit is clearly due to Michael Maguire. As Andrew Johns comments on TV, Maguire is often maligned for his old school approach, but it was Brisbane’s fitness and fortitude late on that so often got them over the line on their premiership run.
“Freak,” is Ben Hunt’s assessment of Reece Walsh.
Payne Haas credits the introduction of Ezra Mam for changing the game.
Cameron Munster supplies the answer: “You can’t afford to give Reece Walsh, Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan and obviously Ezra Mam the ball too much and we defended for too long there in the back end of that game.”
Adam Reynolds pinged a hammy. Ben Hunt was knocked out cold. Payne Haas didn’t fire a shot in the first half. Melbourne Storm looked imperious at the interval. How did they do it?
“OH MY GOD! WHAT A BLOODY RIDE!” That’s right, Reece Walsh.
Reece Walsh has just elevated himself to a whole new category. He was superb during Brisbane’s run home, decisive in Canberra, and now he has dominated the grand final with and without the ball. Superstar.
What a comeback. From 22-12 at half-time to 22-26 at the final siren. Every minute was gripping.
A brilliant grand final to complete a brilliant season.
Full-time: Melbourne 22-26 Brisbane
Brisbane Broncos win the 2025 NRL grand final!
80 mins: Brisbane take no chances running the ball for five tackles. Walsh is huge. Haas is huge. Melbourne have 95m and one set to win it.
Yellow Card! (Loiero, 79)
Melbourne might get one more bite of the cherry. Or not. Loiero and Blore both go in high on the Bronco running the ball out of defence. Loiero is pinged and that’s 10 minutes in the bin every week of the season. Brisbane are nearly home.
78 mins: Utoikamanu to 5m. Munster offloads to Grant who accepts contact under the dot. Melbourne go through hands to the left but Coates runs out of room and Mariner and Staggs drag their man into touch! Is that the premiership?
77 mins: Blore takes it to the 10m line. Hughes and Munster go left. MacDonald to 5m. Papenhuyzen carves to the right then offloads inside to Meaney – then he’s leathered by Piakura – penalty!
76 mins: Papenhuyzen has stepped up his game and creates space on the right. Warbrick has another dart and threatens to go around the outside but Mam nails a brilliant tackle. Still Melbourne come, Utoikamanu this time but Walsh nails a brilliant tackle! But Storm are adamant there was foul play. They challenge and the Bunker agrees there was high contact from Mam in the Walsh tackle. Storm have four minutes and 20m to go.
75 mins: Brisbane make good ground and suddenly the field opens up on the last tackle. Smoothy doesn’t know whether to stick or twist and neither kicks nor executes the pass out wide to the right and the ball goes forward.
74 mins: Walsh fails with a 40/20 on tackle four with Papenhuyzen running the ball back to the 30m line. Melbourne get into work in the middle of the field with Hughes and Papenhuyzen. Grant snipes into the 30 then Storm go through hands to the left. On the last Munster kicks to the Coates corner, the flying winger leaps, palms the ball backwards, but it’s recovered by a white jersey. Time and opportunities are running out for Melbourne.
73 mins: Melbourne run on the last tackle, nothing flash, Brisbane hold their line and Papenhuyzen is tackle on the 20m line. Poor execution from such an experienced spine.
72 mins: Ben Hunt is out cold! He got on the wrong side of Lisati’s hip and he is done for the night. Reynolds is already off remember. Tyson Smoothy has a big job to do coming off the bench.
70 mins: Both teams exchange sets either side of halfway. Haas goes thundering into contact. Papenhuyzen thinks he deserves a penalty for a high shot. Then Melbourne a gifted an offside penalty. Storm kick to halfway and aim to get some territorial foothold after being forced to run through quicksand for most of the half.
69 mins: Melbourne gain yards off the boot then attack through Papenhuyzen. Look at him go! He’s through the line, sprinting towards the right corner, can he make it? Is there support? WALSH! What a chase from the fullback, scragging his opposite number who then flings a Hail Mary pass that fails to find Warnbrick instead of accepting the tackle.
68 mins: It’s not a time out, but it’s as good as. There’s a delay as the independent doctor calls for Karapani to leave the field, then Haas makes a mess of the play the ball.
67 mins: Brisbane are starting to find room on kick return. Karapani is the latest and it means Melbourne cannot set a solid defensive line. Staggs profits from the broken field, Mam was born for a match like this, then Walsh chips and chases on the last only for Papenhuyzen to gather smartly and run out of danger. For four more tackles Melbourne look to be re-establishing themselves. Munster spots an opportunity on the right and finds Katoa who feeds Meaney, but under pressure with players jamming in he offloads hurriedly to Warbrick and the ball scuttles between the Kiwi’s legs! Storm need some kind of tactical time out or they are going to drown.
65 mins: Walsh is unplayable. He’s stepping off both feet, running at speed, coming into the line at every opportunity, making Melbourne chase shadows. This is a virtuoso performance. He sets up another strong set that ends with a brilliant deep kick from Hunt to the Warbrick corner. Melbourne are using so much energy just to stay in this contest, do they have any more to change the momentum?
63 mins: Brisbane get a full set in attacking territory. Walsh almost jinks through the line, then Haas takes the line with him as he pumps his massive thighs after contact. The Broncos make nothing on the last but Storm are forced to attack from their own line and have to exert a power of energy just to get to halfway.
