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Karmichael Hunt put a week of controversy behind him with a brilliant all-round game as Brisbane gained a measure of payback Friday night for their heart-breaking 2008 play-off loss to the Melbourne Storm.
The Broncos held out the Storm in a thrilling final quarter-hour to score a 16-14 victory in front of a parochial 36,647-strong crowd at Suncorp Stadium.
Hunt and half-back Peter Wallace starred for the home side who jubilantly celebrated an end to a five-match winless run against Melbourne dating back to their 2006 grand final upset.
The off-contract full-back, who is in the sights of French and Japanese rugby clubs, had his new contract offer taken off the table on Monday and told he would have to accept a reduced offer to remain at the club he debuted for at 17.
Rival No.1 Billy Slater had the chance to snatch the game away near the death, in much the same manner Greg Inglis stole last year's sudden-death final with a last-gasp try.
Slater knocked on the tough pass from Wairangi Koopu near the line to ensure the final score was the same as last September but it was Brisbane on the right side of the ledger.
Like 2008, Brisbane appeared in complete control of the game at 16-8 in the second half until Kevin Proctor pounced after Wallace knocked an attacking Cooper Cronk kick out of Inglis's hands.
"We were on the opposite end of a game like that in last year's finals so it was great to come away with it tonight," Hunt told ABC Radio.
"We'll take the win tonight and enjoy it."
Israel Folau quickly rubbed salt into his former team's wounds to help Brisbane to a 10-8 half-time lead.
It took star back Folau just 12 minutes to punish his old side, scoring a signature try from a sensational high take over Anthony Quinn from a perfectly-weighted cross-field kick by Wallace.
Quinn will have a nervous wait over the weekend after being placed on report for striking Sam Thaiday with his forearm and knocking him out cold.
The Storm shot out of the blocks with an all-too-easy try to Slater in the second minute, punishing lazy defence by front-rowers Joel Clinton and Aaron Gorrell.
Queensland centre Justin Hodges was a late inclusion in the Broncos backline, returning a fortnight ahead of schedule from a shoulder reconstruction.
He started the match on the wing but played the bulk of the half at right centre, Folau switched to the wing.
Hunt combined with captain Darren Lockyer to set up Brisbane's second try, putting Steve Michaels over in the left corner in the 33rd minute for a 10-6 lead.
The Broncos extended their two-point half-time lead to 16-8 shortly after the break when the Storm defence clocked off following an Aaron Gorrell fumble but it was ruled knock-back and Wallace took advantage, slicing through for a soft try.
After the match the Storm brought the new two referees system into question, accusing both officials of missing a "blatant knock-on" before a Broncos try.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy and skipper Cameron Smith were furious referees Tony De Las Heras and Ben Cummins awarded the 44th-minute try to Wallace after both sides stopped playing after an Aaron Gorrell fumble.
Gorrell failed to pick up the ball at dummy-half and, with players unsure of the ruling, Wallace sliced through some feeble defence to give the Broncos a 16-8 lead.
Smith questioned the decision on the field and was told the ball went backwards but Bellamy said it should have been referred to the video referee.
"I'm very disappointed to lose by two points," said Bellamy.
"To me it was a blatant knock-on.
"We've still got a video referee.
"I've got no problem with referees not being able to see that, as there are bodies around, but when the Broncos pulled up and we pulled up you were probably thinking there might have been something there and we could have had a quick look."
Smith fell just short of saying the decision cost the Storm the tense match.
"That knock-on should be picked up," he said. "We lost by two points. I'm not going to say it cost us the game, we didn't help our own cause with the way we played, but you don't know what it would have changed at the end of the game."
The Broncos held out the Storm in a thrilling final quarter-hour to score a 16-14 victory in front of a parochial 36,647-strong crowd at Suncorp Stadium.
Hunt and half-back Peter Wallace starred for the home side who jubilantly celebrated an end to a five-match winless run against Melbourne dating back to their 2006 grand final upset.
The off-contract full-back, who is in the sights of French and Japanese rugby clubs, had his new contract offer taken off the table on Monday and told he would have to accept a reduced offer to remain at the club he debuted for at 17.
Rival No.1 Billy Slater had the chance to snatch the game away near the death, in much the same manner Greg Inglis stole last year's sudden-death final with a last-gasp try.
Slater knocked on the tough pass from Wairangi Koopu near the line to ensure the final score was the same as last September but it was Brisbane on the right side of the ledger.
Like 2008, Brisbane appeared in complete control of the game at 16-8 in the second half until Kevin Proctor pounced after Wallace knocked an attacking Cooper Cronk kick out of Inglis's hands.
"We were on the opposite end of a game like that in last year's finals so it was great to come away with it tonight," Hunt told ABC Radio.
"We'll take the win tonight and enjoy it."
Israel Folau quickly rubbed salt into his former team's wounds to help Brisbane to a 10-8 half-time lead.
It took star back Folau just 12 minutes to punish his old side, scoring a signature try from a sensational high take over Anthony Quinn from a perfectly-weighted cross-field kick by Wallace.
Quinn will have a nervous wait over the weekend after being placed on report for striking Sam Thaiday with his forearm and knocking him out cold.
The Storm shot out of the blocks with an all-too-easy try to Slater in the second minute, punishing lazy defence by front-rowers Joel Clinton and Aaron Gorrell.
Queensland centre Justin Hodges was a late inclusion in the Broncos backline, returning a fortnight ahead of schedule from a shoulder reconstruction.
He started the match on the wing but played the bulk of the half at right centre, Folau switched to the wing.
Hunt combined with captain Darren Lockyer to set up Brisbane's second try, putting Steve Michaels over in the left corner in the 33rd minute for a 10-6 lead.
The Broncos extended their two-point half-time lead to 16-8 shortly after the break when the Storm defence clocked off following an Aaron Gorrell fumble but it was ruled knock-back and Wallace took advantage, slicing through for a soft try.
After the match the Storm brought the new two referees system into question, accusing both officials of missing a "blatant knock-on" before a Broncos try.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy and skipper Cameron Smith were furious referees Tony De Las Heras and Ben Cummins awarded the 44th-minute try to Wallace after both sides stopped playing after an Aaron Gorrell fumble.
Gorrell failed to pick up the ball at dummy-half and, with players unsure of the ruling, Wallace sliced through some feeble defence to give the Broncos a 16-8 lead.
Smith questioned the decision on the field and was told the ball went backwards but Bellamy said it should have been referred to the video referee.
"I'm very disappointed to lose by two points," said Bellamy.
"To me it was a blatant knock-on.
"We've still got a video referee.
"I've got no problem with referees not being able to see that, as there are bodies around, but when the Broncos pulled up and we pulled up you were probably thinking there might have been something there and we could have had a quick look."
Smith fell just short of saying the decision cost the Storm the tense match.
"That knock-on should be picked up," he said. "We lost by two points. I'm not going to say it cost us the game, we didn't help our own cause with the way we played, but you don't know what it would have changed at the end of the game."
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