Everyone talks about Brisbane’s attack spearheaded by two-time Dally M medalist Tamika Upton.
But coach Scott Prince is backing his side’s defence to get the job done as the Broncos seek to become the first club to reach four NRLW premierships on a hot Sunday afternoon at Accor Stadium.
While Brisbane has already won three NRLW titles, they haven’t tasted success—or even appeared in the grand final—since 2020 and 45-year-old Prince says he knows exactly what’s required to dethrone reigning 2024 premiers the Sydney Roosters.
“We know what’s coming, we know the way the Roosters play, they try to blow teams away early and then hold on at the back end,” Prince said before the grand final.
“It’s imperative for us that we start well, and see where that takes us.”
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With the Roosters the only team to lower Brisbane’s colours in 2025, Prince says the 2025 decider is the right one.
“Two horse race, grand final day, how good,” he beamed.
“I think we have the correct grand final, the top two teams in the comp, everyone’s really excited about that prospect.”
‘Attack wins fans, but defence wins premierships’
While finishing the regular season behind the undefeated Roosters, Prince declared his side is a very different unit to the one that lost 30-26 back in Round 3.
“It’s been a few years in the making to where we are now, it’s always been about building our resilience and our toughness,” he said.
“Everyone talks about our attack, but it’s our defence that’s been really impressive—they say attack wins fans, but defence wins premierships.
“If you look at last week (against Newcastle), we had a completion rate at 56 per cent and 18 errors, there’s no way you should be winning football games like that, but it was off the back of our defence that got us through.
“Even though the scoreline suggests we attacked a lot better, 30-6, it was the six points that really impressed me. The girls were able to turn up for one another, and you need those moments.”
Despite falling to the minor premiers back in Round 3, Brisbane will start the grand final as firm favourites with bookmakers in the absence of star Roosters playmaker Tarryn Aiken who ruptured her ACL earlier in the season.
In a final piece of rugby league history, should the Broncos lift the NRLW trophy this afternoon, it will come 20 years after Prince himself won an NRL premiership as starting halfback for the Wests Tigers in 2005.