Broncos title defence continues as grand final rematch locked in
The Brisbane Broncos have kept their back-to-back premiership dreams alive, dismissing the Gold Coast Titans with a 20-8 victory to set up a blockbuster grand final rematch against the Sydney Roosters.
Taking the long route to the decider for the first time in their history, the Broncos showcased their pedigree over a blistering opening 35 minutes.
Brisbane Broncos celebrate. Nine
Playmakers Jesse Southwell and Tamika Upton took absolute control of the contest, building a well-earned 16-point buffer before the break.
First points went to Upton, followed by a try from Romy Teitzel. Lauren Dam and Julia Robinson then added their names to the scoresheet, pushing the Broncos out to a 20-4 lead at half time.
The Titans’ uphill battle was compounded by the devastating loss of lock Sienna Lofipo, who was forced off the field bloodied and in agony after breaking her jaw on an opponent’s knee. She subsequently failed her HIA.
While Destiny Mino-Sinapati eventually broke through for the Titans and Evania Isa’ako try sparking a second-half resurgence, the Gold Coast’s late pressure proved to be too little, too late.
Speaking to Nine after the match, Upton praised her squad’s ability to weather the second-half storm.
“I’m just so proud of the girls. Obviously, that first half went to plan and that second half was just a grind of footy, which is what the Titans are probably the best at in the competition,” Upton said.
“So, proud of the girls for hanging in. Super hot day obviously, so we were working hard out there.”
Brisbane’s late-season surge tracks closely with the return of star captain Ali Brigginshaw from suspension in round nine. Since her comeback, the Broncos have gotten back on track, racking up 160 points to their opponent’s 60 across a four-game winning streak.
Upton acknowledged that silencing the fans who wrote them off during their mid-season slump has been satisfying and the team’s confidence never wavered.
“Honestly, it does, but we don’t worry about what’s going on outside the four walls and we’ve always had that belief,” she explained.
“And we’re getting very disappointed with how the middle of that season went, but I’m so proud of the work that we put in. It all happens behind closed doors and it’s no surprise with these results because of how hard we work.”
The Broncos now turn their attention to defending their title against a familiar rival. They beat out the Roosters 22-18 in 2025.
“(The Roosters are) well-deserving to be in the grand final. They’re obviously a classy outfit,” said Upton.
“It’ll be just like last year, so we’ll see how we go this year. And obviously, we’ll celebrate this win, but we’ll work super hard this week and get out there on Sunday.”
