Brisbane will be seeking revenge when they venture down to the nation’s capital to take on the minor premiers, Canberra, in their qualifying final this weekend.
The Raiders handed the Broncos a 32-22 defeat back in Round 2 when these sides met for the only other time this season.
The Green Machine has been a picture of consistency ever since that early warning shot across the bow.
Meanwhile, Michael Maguire’s outfit has recovered from a mid-season slump that initially appeared terminal to stamp themselves as a legitimate premiership threat after battling to a fourth-placed finish.
MORE: How the Broncos can unlock Reece Walsh's best
The Broncos were ‘pantsed’ during their last meeting with the Raiders - Reece Walsh is out for revenge
The last time the Broncos arrived in Canberra, they were in a confident mood after they had just put 50 points on the Sydney Roosters in their opening game.
Ricky Stuart’s side had also been impressive in Round 1 after they accounted for New Zealand 30-8.
The Green Machine was at a perceived disadvantage after kicking off their season in Las Vegas, yet Canberra showed no signs of a hangover as they shot out of the traps at GIO Stadium.
Matty Nicholson tore through an attempted tackle from Jack Gosiewski to score in the seventh minute.
The English recruit, who will serve as 18th man this week after having his campaign interrupted by a long-term injury, had claimed a double before the break.
But before he had grabbed his second of the night, Josh Papalii had also crossed after a pinpoint bomb from Jamal Fogarty had caused issues for the Brisbane defence.
Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt responded in kind as the veteran playmakers set up tries for Jesse Arthars.
However, a fortunate ricochet off a Tom Starling grubber ended up back in the hooker’s hands for him to go over and establish a 10-point lead early in the second half.
From there, there was only really going to be one winner as the Raiders piled on the pressure.
An off-the-cuff run and offload from Corey Horsburgh saw him dish it off for Matt Timoko to score.
The hosts repeatedly pummeled the visitors through the middle, with the Broncos ultimately crumbling during a 12-minute period in the second stanza.
Finally, an attacking raid down the short side saw Brisbane stripped for numbers as Starling linked with Seb Kris, who gave the pill to Savelio Tamale to score in the corner.
Fogarty slotted the resulting conversion from the sideline to blow the lead out to 32-10.
Reynolds identified Canberra’s jamming defensive line and chipped one over the top for Selwyn Cobbo to reel in and register a stunning four-pointer.
An inch-perfect crossfield kick from the No.7 then sent Arthars over for his hat-trick. But it was too little, too late for the visitors as the Raiders eased to a win.
"I’m still thinking about that game in Round 2 where they pantsed us," Reece Walsh told SEN.
"I’ve got a lot of respect for those boys."
The Brisbane fullback has been right at the heart of his side’s revival in the past month.
Walsh has dominated the headlines thanks to not only his eyebrow-raising antics off the field, but also his brilliance on it.
The No.1’s stat lines for the past four wins in a row have been incredibly impressive.
He registered 18 points, a try assist and a game-high 249 run metres during Brisbane’s 38-28 victory over the Dolphins in the round after Reynolds and Ezra Mam had gone down with hamstring injuries.
He then followed this up with another starring display as he claimed a try, two assists and three linebreak assists during a rout of Newcastle.
Up in Townsville, he proved almost impossible to stop in a 38-30 shootout with North Queensland.
Walsh bagged his by now customary try as well as providing five linebreak assists and a game-high 202 run metres.
In the last game of the regular season and with a double chance in the finals on the line, the Queenslander stepped up once again.
He guided the Broncos to a 30-14 victory over Melbourne, with a two-try effort contributing to his 22-point haul for the match.
The win secured the club's fourth spot and silenced plenty of doubters after questions around Brisbane’s culture emerged amidst a dire run that had them languishing in 11th spot on the ladder three months into the season.
Off the back of some consistent bouts of Walsh magic, that all seems like a long time ago now as the Broncos prepare for another meeting with the Raiders.
And this time, a home preliminary final is on the line.
"We felt like we were chasing to be great," Walsh declared ahead of the high-stakes clash.
"We’ve always known that we have good footy in us, but it’s about working hard for it and then getting what we deserve."