Walsh turns tide as Broncos edge Raiders 29-28 in dramatic finals overtime

Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh returned from a sin‑bin to spearhead a late comeback and set up Ben Hunt’s golden‑point field goal as the Broncos beat the Canberra Raiders 29‑28 in one of the most eventful finals matches in recent NRL history.

Canberra, powered by a youthful spine, led by as many as 16 points in the second half and appeared to be on course for a home preliminary final before Walsh’s late interventions swung momentum. Seven of the Raiders’ 17 players were making their first finals appearance in a packed GIO Stadium on Sunday.

The Raiders were energised by two tries from 23‑year‑old fullback Kaeo Weekes and a try to 21‑year‑old five‑eighth Ethan Strange as they built a commanding lead. Brisbane, with considerably more finals experience across its lineup, began their fightback late in the second half after a period of ill discipline saw both Walsh and Broncos lock Pat Carrigan sent to the sin bin.

Walsh was binned following a clash with Hudson Young and Carrigan was sin‑binned shortly afterwards and placed on report for a tackle that left Raiders forward Morgan Smithies requiring a category‑two head injury assessment; Smithies later passed the HIA. Walsh was allowed to return to the field and became the defining presence of the closing stages, scoring a try, creating a try for winger Josiah Karapani, executing a 40/20 and slotting an 80th‑minute penalty goal that forced extra time.

"I was disappointed in myself. I am glad the chocolates went my way," Walsh told Fox League after the match when asked about his sin‑binning.

Canberra believed it had sealed victory several times. Walsh had an attempted two‑point field goal charged down on full‑time only for the video referee to rule Broncos forward Zac Hosking had made contact with Walsh’s trailing leg, awarding a penalty 10 metres out to Brisbane. In extra time, Jamal Fogarty appeared to score after a high contest saw Ricky Stuart’s son Jed bat the ball back, but the bunker judged Stuart had propelled the ball forward with his hand, overturning the on‑field call.

The game reached a denouement in golden point when Hunt managed a drop‑kick that ricocheted off the inside of the right upright and over the crossbar to deliver a one‑point victory for Brisbane.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart must now prepare his inexperienced side to recover quickly; Canberra will face a do‑or‑die semi‑final against Cronulla with less than a week to regroup. The emotional toll of Sunday’s loss was evident in post‑match comments from rookie five‑eighth Ethan Strange, who described the defeat as "a pretty heartbreaking feeling."

Brisbane advance to host a preliminary final in a fortnight against either Canterbury or reigning premiers Penrith. The Broncos will monitor the fitness of key players in the coming days. Captain Adam Reynolds has been managing a hamstring issue and will play only when cleared; playmakers Ezra Mam and Selwyn Cobbo, both dealing with hamstring strains, and prop Xavier Willison, recovering from a broken arm, are also progressing toward potential returns.

The result highlighted a season‑long pattern in which experience and composure in pressure moments have proven decisive. In the past 18 years only two top‑four teams that lost in the first week of finals have gone on to win the premiership — North Queensland in 2015 and Penrith in 2021 — underlining the difficulty for top teams that suffer an early finals defeat.

Match officials and the NRL match review committee are expected to assess a number of incidents from the contest, including Walsh’s clash with Young and Carrigan’s put‑on‑report tackle. Walsh’s physical return to the field and subsequent match‑winning contributions will be central to any review of on‑field conduct.

Sunday’s game will be remembered for its dramatic swings, contentious interventions by the bunker and the late‑game poise that carried the Broncos through. Canberra’s youthful pack and attacking flair offered a stark reminder of the club’s depth, while Brisbane’s mixture of finals experience and individual brilliance proved the difference in a classic finals encounter.