Every week seems to bring another chance for the Brisbane Broncos to turn its season around. Every week ends with the same sinking feeling.
The Broncos were left to rue another opportunity after surrendering a halftime lead in a 24-18 loss to the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, June 26. It was their seventh consecutive defeat, another result that tightened the squeeze on a premiership defence now hanging by a thread.
For long periods, the home side looked capable of ending the run. Tom Duffy produced one of his most assured performances in first grade, Brendan Piakura was influential on both sides of the ball and Brisbane took a deserved 16-12 advantage into the sheds. Once the Roosters found their rhythm after halftime, however, the contest gradually slipped away.
The visitors completed almost flawlessly in the second half, controlled possession and territory, and relied on the composure of Sam Walker, James Tedesco and Daly Cherry-Evans to finish the stronger side.
Broncos Find Their Footing
The Roosters made the brighter start and eventually broke through in the seventh minute when Billy Smith finished a slick backline movement after Brisbane again struggled under a high kick.
Rather than allowing the early setback to rattle them, the Broncos settled into the contest.
Ben Hunt engaged the line before Brendan Piakura burst through the defence and slipped a neat offload to Tom Duffy, who crossed for Brisbane’s opening try as rain swept across Suncorp Stadium.
The combination clicked again only minutes later. Duffy threaded a perfectly weighted grubber behind the Roosters defence and Piakura timed his run to perfection, collecting the ball to give Brisbane a 12-6 lead.
The Roosters answered through Robert Toia after James Tedesco’s clever grubber created the opening, but Brisbane finished the half on top when Grant Anderson capitalised on a loose Daly Cherry-Evans pass, racing 40 metres untouched to restore the Broncos’ four-point advantage before the break.
It was a first half that offered genuine encouragement after several difficult weeks.
Roosters Lift the Pressure
The momentum shifted almost immediately after halftime.
Billy Smith powered over for his second try to level the scores before the Roosters began to dominate possession and field position. Brisbane’s defence continued to scramble effectively, with Josiah Karapani producing an outstanding cover tackle while Duffy also held up well defensively, but the home side struggled to work its way out of its own territory.
The breakthrough eventually came just after the hour.
Walker initiated the movement before backing up in support to finish it himself, capping his 100th NRL appearance with the decisive try. A penalty goal ten minutes later stretched the margin to eight and forced Brisbane into catch-up football.
The Broncos narrowed the gap through a late penalty after Nat Butcher was penalised and placed on report for a hip-drop tackle, but the Roosters remained composed through the closing stages and denied the home side one final opportunity.
Duffy Steps Up
There were few positives for Brisbane, but Duffy’s performance stood out.
Given greater responsibility after injuries to Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam, the young playmaker looked increasingly comfortable directing the attack. He scored one try, created another with an intelligent grubber kick and handled the conditions with maturity beyond his years while also standing up defensively throughout the contest.
On a difficult night for the club, the Broncos could at least take confidence from another step forward in the development of one of their brightest young talents.
Familiar Questions Remain
Brisbane’s injury toll also worsened when Xavier Willison failed his Head Injury Assessment following a high tackle from Lindsay Collins in the opening half.
Collins was later ruled out after failing his own HIA and had already been placed on report, while Sam Walker, Robert Toia and Nat Butcher were also placed on report during the match.
The Broncos welcomed back Reece Walsh, Kotoni Staggs and Payne Haas, but the return of key personnel was not enough to halt a season that continues to drift further off course.
There was enough in Brisbane’s first-half performance to suggest the effort remains there. The execution simply wasn’t sustained for 80 minutes against one of the competition’s best sides.
That has become the recurring story of the Broncos’ season, and with seven straight defeats now behind them, the room for recovery is rapidly disappearing.
Published 27-June-2026
