The Broncos suffered a huge Grand Final double blow with skipper Adam Reynolds suffering a calf injury, before Ben Hunt was knocked out cold in distressing scenes, before Reece Walsh led a stunning comeback to lead Brisbane to a drought-breaking title.
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In the 49th minute of the Grand Final with the Storm leading 22-16, Reynolds pulled up lame with the Broncos pushing hard on attack amid a spirited second half fightback.
“Oh no, he might be gone,” Matt Thompson said on Channel 9.
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“Reynolds has waved to the trainer. He’s gone. Another injury for Adam Reynolds in the game of the year.”
Brad Fittler summed up the chaos on the sideline as the Broncos moved quickly to replace their captain.
“I’m just looking at the bench. Cory Paix is up. He’s got the No.9 and that means Ben Hunt will move back into halfback,” Fittler said.
“But yeah he’s (Reynolds) gone off. He’s tapped out.”
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Reynolds cut a sorrowful figure as he limped off the far side of the field and had to be carried by the trainers with anguish and pain on his face and tears filling his eyes.
Reynolds only just returned from a hamstring injury for the preliminary final win over the Panthers after an extended period on the sidelines.
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Andrew Johns noted it was up to Ben Hunt to step up at halfback and lead the Broncos to victory 10 years on from his infamous dropped ball in Brisbane’s 2015 Grand Final loss to the Cowboys.
“This is Ben Hunt’s opportunity to potentially own Brisbane’s grand final resurgence with them still trailing the all conquering Melbourne Storm,” Johns said.
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“You didn’t think this grand final required a script? Nothing this season has gone to script.”
However the Broncos scored moments later with a Walsh try assist for Deine Mariner to make it 22-20 heading into the final quarter of the game.
Then Walsh set up Shibasaki moments later to give the Broncos the lead with 20 minutes to play.
However, with eight minutes to go and the Broncos leading 26-22, disaster struck as Ben Hunt was knocked out in a tackle.
“Oh hang on, got a problem with Ben Hunt here, he’s been knocked out cold and they take off down the left,” Thompson said.
“Hunt he’s gone. Ben Hunt he’s gone for anybody that’s in that condition. Stay there.
“Wow. This is this is disaster for Brisbane. Reynolds gone, and now Ben Hunt is about to join him.
“With the grand final on the line, the most experienced halves combination in the game’s history are both about to be benched.”
Reece Walsh caught a stumbling and brave Hunt trying to get back in the defensive line before he was taken from the field.
Tyson Smoothy came on for Hunt as the Broncos tried to hold on to their lead.
The Storm threw everything at the Broncos in the final minutes but the Broncos held on thanks to a Reece Walsh Clive Churchill Medal winning performance.
