BRONCOS EDGE OUT PANTHERS
TOM SMITH Suncorp Stadium, Sunday
BRISBANE BRONCOS 16
PENRITH PANTHERS 14
ADAM REYNOLDS’ clutch conversion sealed Brisbane’s epic comeback in their engrossing preliminary final against Penrith, ending the Panthers’ stranglehold on the NRL title and setting up a mouth-watering decider against Melbourne.
Paul Alamoti’s two first-half tries sent the Panthers to the sheds up by 14, but the Broncos piled on 16 second-half points to keep their season alive.
Star fullback Reece Walsh had a quiet afternoon until he assisted Deine Mariner’s 76th-minute try to level the scores, and handed the goal-kicking duties to his captain for the decisive conversion.