Broncos thumped at home as faint finals hopes end for reigning premiers

The Brisbane Broncos will not be playing finals in 2026, after winning the premiership in 2025.

The 30-6 loss tonight to the Newcastle Knights ended any faint hopes of making the top eight.

Centre Kotoni Staggs has spoken Fox Sports after the loss, and says the team needs to lift an try to finish the season on a positive note.

Obviously disappointed with how the season’s played out.

Coming from a grand final last year, and being where we are (now), it’s not where we wanted to be.

We’ve got a couple of players that are going to be leaving us at the end of the year, and they deserve to be sent off on a high.

Here are the matches we can look forward to on Sunday:

G’day Elissa.

Unless there is a different Pats, I assume you are looking forward to the NFL season.

The NFL season starts in the middle of September, which is not when the Broncos will be playing this year.

— reporting by AAP

Newcastle have solidified their position in the top eight and laid bare Brisbane’s stunning slide in a 30-6 away win to break a three-match losing streak.

The Knights, whose star players Fletcher Sharpe and Kalyn Ponga both stood up, are now in sixth position on 28 points and with a bye still to come, they need just one more win to play finals.

It is a remarkable turnaround under new coach Justin Holbrook after claiming the wooden spoon last year.

The bumbling Broncos are in freefall after their 10th loss in 11 matches. Their premiership defence is over.

Brisbane have now lost seven straight games in Queensland for the first time in their history in the same season and six in a row at their spiritual home, Lang Park, their equal worst run at the venue.

The Knights led 10-0 after eight minutes, following a disastrous sequence of events for the hosts.

The Broncos had a horror start with second-rower Xavier Willison limping off in the sixth minute with a leg gash and captain Adam Reynolds following him with a concussion, which also ruled him out of the match and next week’s ‘Battle of Brisbane’ with the Dolphins.

Winger Deine Mariiner was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul in the seventh minute.

The Knights had a dream start. Five-eighth Sharpe sliced through Reynolds with skill and pace to score. Ponga set up giant winger Dominic Young and it was 10-0 after eight minutes.

Young and fellow winger Marzhew, who scored a double, were unstoppable and caused the Broncos a world of hurt.

Reece Walsh was sin-binned for pulling the hair of Young and Newcastle second-rower Jermaine McEwen was marched at the same time for running in to get involved in a fracas.

The Knights have several boom forwards coming through and none more impressive than back-rower Francis Manuleleua, who threw a spiral 20m pass for Marzhew to score.

Newcastle extended their 14-0 halftime lead when Ponga handled twice in a scintillating backline move that was finished by hooker Phoenix Crossland.

Broncos talisman Walsh started and finished a razzle dazzle move to score under the posts. His conversion was bizarrely ruled a miss by both touch judges but the Bunker saved the day and correctly awarded it.

Brisbane’s error rate was a disgrace and they only looked likely to score when Walsh got involved.

Sharpe’s long-range coup de grace at the end of the match secured him a deserved second try.

Reece Walsh went for a chip and chase.

The ball bounced in front of Ezra Mam, and then bounced over his head.

Newcastle’s Thomas Cant gathered the ball, and then passed to Fletcher Sharpe, who charged onto the ball and ran through a gaping hole.

There are no Broncos in the backfield, and Sharpe runs 55 metres to score under the posts.

Broncos 6

Knights 30

The Brisbane Broncos had a great chance to score.

They threatened the goal-line, and then were awarded a penalty.

With a full set at the goal-line, the Broncos were out of ideas, lost the ball on the final play, and that is the end of the attacking raid.

You can call it — Lay-down misère — the Knights are going to win this match.

Disaster for the Brisbane Broncos.

On the set after scoring, Deine Mariner dropped the ball, putting the Broncos under pressure.

The Knights have made the Broncos pay.

Left centre Bradman Best produced a lovely flick pass to winger Greg Marzhew.

Marzhew dived for the corner and got the ball down with his body just hovering over the sideline.

Sandon Smith is unable to convert from the left touchline.

Broncos 6

Knights 24

The Brisbane Broncos desperately needed a try, and they have it.

On the final play of the set, Reece Walsh threw a big pass to left centre Deine Mariner.

Mariner beats one defender and then kicks, with the ball coming off a Knight and bouncing towards the in-goal.

Walsh follows through and collects the ball to score under the posts.

From straight in front, the touch judges are saying he missed.

The officials say the ball went under the crossbar.

We are going to the Bunker, and the replay clearly shows the ball went over the crossbar.

The conversion has been awarded.

Broncos 6

Knights 20

That is a dagger to the heart of the Broncos.

The Knights shifted to the right from inside their own half, and a perfect pass from Kalyn Ponga has Dom Young sprinting down the wing.

Young passes back inside to Ponga, then Ponga passes to Phoenix Crossland for the try.

Sandon Smith converts the try.

Broncos 0

Knights 20

Excellent rugby league.

Reece Walsh threw a lovely cut-out pass to right winger Grant Anderson.

The winger charged for the corner and dived, but Knights winger Greg Marzhew rushed across for the cover tackle.

Try-sacing tackle.

Brisbane fans were on their feet for a moment, thinking their team has scored.

Ben Hunt threw a flat cut-out pass to Kotoni Staggs for the try — but the pass was called forward.

Broncos 0

Knights 14

The Broncos will have the first use of the footy in the second half.

The home side is running to the left of your screen.

The Broncos are given a boost, with a penalty for an illegal strip.

Brisbane’s very faint finals hopes are almost gone.

The Newcastle Knights scored three tries to hold a 14-0 lead at half-time.

The Knights were on top for the majority of that half, as the reigning premiers look lost for answers.

Excellent from the Newcastle Knights.

They march down the field, and left winger Greg Marzhew has scored the team’s third try.

There were a couple of missed tackles, then backrower Francis Manuleleua threw a terrific cut-out pass to Marzhew for the easy try.

Sandon Smith’s conversion attempt hits the post and is unsuccessful.

Broncos 0

Knights 14

The Brisbane Broncos were attacking the Newcastle goal-line.

It is their best attacking chance in this half.

Pat Carrigan ran a decoy line, and knocked over a Knights defender.

Brisbane winger Grant Anderson ran through the gap, got to the goal-line, and then ran all the way back to where he started — hoping the ref would take pity and not blow the penalty.

Sadly, that’s not how the rules work.

Broncos 0

Knights 10

There is an all-in push and shove at Lang Park.

Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam had tackled Knights winger Dom Young.

The two of them tripped over each other, and that has led to a push and shove.

Newcastle’s Jermaine McEwen has flown in as the third man in, and has been sent to the sin bin.

Now, replays have shown Reece Walsh grabbing and pulling the hair of Young. He is off as well.

Broncos 0

Knights 10

The Newcastle Knights are all over the Brisbane Broncos.

The visitors have been the only team that has looked like scoring, with Newcastle making plenty of metres down the edges.

A bright moment for the Broncos is Ezra Mam hitting Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga with a great tackle.

That has lifted the Lang Park crowd.

Broncos 0

Knights 10