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3 Takeaways From Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm
Round 27 kicked off with an NRL finals preview, but for the Storm, it ended with their premiership hopes in tatters.
Jason Oliver
September 05, 2025
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With the Brisbane Broncos playing for a spot in the Top 4 and the Melbourne Storm smarting after a spray from their coach last week, Round 27 kicked off with finals-like intensity.
It gave us an insight into what to expect in the next month as the Storm look for answers and the Broncos announce themselves as genuine premiership contenders.
3 Takeaways:
Season Over For Jahrome Hughes?
As you would expect, the Broncos looked to test Jahrome Hughes’ shoulder early.
They used short passes and leads on either side of him throughout the early attacking sets. Hughes appeared to come through unscathed, and the Storm's right edge defence was intact outside of the dubious Reece Walsh try.
Hughes’ shoulder passed the test, but his wrist became the next problem. He took himself off the field after a routine pass out the back of shape. Clearly hindered, Craig Bellamy confirmed the worst post-game:
They pretty much think it’s a break, without a doubt.
He’s in plaster already.
Injury guru, NRL Physio, didn’t offer any positive news on Hughes’ possible return during the finals either.
Jahrome Hughes won’t return & will go for scans on a suspected broken wrist/forearm.
Direct contact mechanism with knee to forearm attempting tackle. If radius fracture confirmed would usually be a 4-8 week recovery, but it is finals time so textbook return dates are often
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio)
10:40 AM • Sep 4, 2025
Melbourne hasn’t looked themselves with Hughes on the sideline in recent weeks. The pressure he puts on the opposition with the ball helps their defence, and it’s on the defensive side that Bellamy has been most concerned.
Cameron Munster’s presence ensures they’re an attacking force. Harry Grant’s impending return adds more to their potential with the ball in hand. But with how Melbourne has defended recently, along with the Hughes news, their premiership potential has taken a serious hit.
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How Teams Are Defending Kicks
Xavier Coates and the Storm are changing how NRL defences approach attacking kicks. The crackdown on being tackled in the air and the inconsistency of the decisions have impacted the decisions of defenders.
We saw early that the Broncos wanted to disrupt the catcher as much as possible when Kotoni Staggs committed what probably should have been considered a professional foul. Later, they conceded a try after being more focused on the escort than the catch:
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