The Brisbane Broncos have become the NRL's comeback kings during the 2025 NRL finals series.
Their win against the Canberra Raiders in the qualifying final wasn't a knockout game, but might as well have been by the end of 94 physical minutes in the nation's capital.
The Raiders found that out the hard way just six days later when they hosted and were promptly beaten by the Cronulla Sharks at home.
The Raiders had that game won three times, including being up by 16 points during the second half at one stage.
It wasn't so much of a slow start for the Broncos as it was an early try followed by a whole heap of plays that didn't cut it for this time of year as the Raiders first snagged a six-point lead heading into halftime, and then increased it with the first two tries of the second period.
Only a Reece Walsh masterclass after his stint in the sin bin for a headbutt would drag the Broncos off the canvas, back into the game, and then over the top of the green machine.
The week off did the Broncos the world of good, allowing Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam to complete their recoveries before running out on home soil last Sunday afternoon against the Penrith Panthers for a chance to return to the grand final, and continue the club's pursuit of their first title since 2006.
It didn't seem like any of that was going to matter though when they went into halftime down 14 points to nothing against the four-time defending premiers.
But then things turned again.
Payne Haas led the way, Adam Reynolds kicked well, and the returning half would eventually slot a sideline kick to punch Brisbane's ticket to the grand final, ending Penrith's four-year run of consecutive premierships in the process.
There is little to no doubt the extra rest Brisbane had in that game played a role in the way they were able to run over a Penrith side who sat bottom of the table at one point this year.
They had been up for so long in making the finals, and they simply ran out of puff against a very strong Brisbane side during the second half last week.
That is not to take anything away from the Broncos.
Their own run - particularly after the double hamstring injuries on the same play to Reynolds and Mam - has been nothing short of extraordinary.
They absolutely deserve their spot in Sunday's decider.
But if they find themselves behind by as far as they have in either of their two finals games to date, turning it around for a third time is going to be something of an unlikely scenario.
The issue for Brisbane is the one they frankly had the advantage in last week - they have had 48 hours less rest than the Storm.
But it's more than that.
They run into an absolute buzzsaw this Sunday. The Storm are the kings of grand finals. They have played in that many of them over the last two decades, and once you combine that with all the big games both at club and representative level for their key players, this is an ominous looking task at best for Michael Maguire's side.
Maguire certainly has some coaching tricks up his sleeve and will understand Bellamy's way of doing things more than most, but to come from behind against the Storm at this time of year?
It's not that it's not possible, but it's certainly not going to be a task anyone would want to be setting out on.
Melbourne simply batter teams into submission once they have the lead. Jahrome Hughes is one of the best game organisers in the competition, Cameron Munster complements him beautifully with the kicking game, Harry Grant is the league's best dummy half, and the forwards, while not flashy for the most part, do their job time and time again.
This year, you could even argue the Storm are leaning on metres from the back to punch their way to the front of games more than they traditionally have.
Craig Bellamy's side have looked the premiership favourites from Day 1, and despite not having their spine together for the most part, they are when it matters most.
All those factors make Sunday's equation for the Broncos quite simple.
Do not fall behind.
There could be no coming back if they do.
It has worked in each of their last two games, and that is the hallmark of a mentally strong team, but it's hard to see it working this time around.
Brisbane are good enough to upset the Storm.
They have elite attacking weapons and two of the best middle forwards in the game, but they must lead from whistle to siren.
