The Brisbane Broncos have put the NRL on notice, running up 50 points on the Sydney Roosters during their opening game of the NRL season.
In what was an attacking masterclass, the Broncos appeared more the 2023 version of themselves who made the grand final, rather than the 2024 version who missed the top eight.
In the thick of things were all the usual suspects, with Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan leading from the front, Reece Walsh showing heavy involvement, the outside backs playing strongly, and Cory Paix breathing a breath of fresh air into the hooking role after not making it onto the NRL field during 2024.
But it was Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt, forming a new halves combination, which saw the Broncos fire at full throttle.
Speaking post-game, Reynolds revealed the combination between he and Hunt, which had limited pre-season preparation time thanks to a Reynolds neck injury, will only get better.
"It was good, everything I thought it would be. He's a competitor, he's worked extremely hard on his craft and that combination down the left," Reynolds said during the post-game press conference.
"It's only going to get better, we've only had what a month together, if that, so it is exciting and looking forward to building on that combination."
Reynolds had two try assists, while Hunt, playing in his new five-eighth role, had one to go with a try of his own.
Hunt had ten runs for 564 metres, while Reynolds led the kicking game, putting 300 metres on the board compared to Hunt's 79.
The pair, who are one of the most experienced halves combinations in the game's history, worked well together, but will face tougher opposition than the criminally understrength Roosters in the coming weeks, with a trip to Canberra next on the menu, beforegames against the Cowboys and Dolphins round out their first month of the season.
Hunt, who came to the Broncos expecting to play dummy half, will still likely shift out of the number six jumper during the second half of the campaign with Ezra Mam returning from suspension, but has the next two months to make a case of retaining the jersey in Maguire's new-look side.
The coach made plenty of big selection calls for Round 1, including leaving talented second-rower Brendan Piakura on the bench with Jack Gosiewski taking the starting role instead.
Piakura only made it onto the field in the final ten minutes and was promptly sent to the sin bin.
Maguire said he was impressed, however, with the way his side worked for each other when they were under the pump.
"Just how hard they worked for each other, there were times there when they were really under the pump," Maguire said when asked what he liked about the performance.
"Just the energy, the effort the players put in for each other, that was something I felt was a highlight. They just wanted to work for each other."
