The Dolphins will play finals for the first time after two of their Indigenous stars — Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo — sealed an incredible comeback 40-32 win over the Broncos.
In front of 50,188 fans, the Dolphins secured their greatest win in the “Battle of Brisbane” after trailing 24-0 on Saturday night.
Dolphins co-captain Isaiya Katoa laid on four tries to secure the club’s 13th victory of the season and keep them in fifth position.
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It was Brisbane’s seventh consecutive loss at Suncorp Stadium for the first time in their history. The 24-point collapse was also the biggest in their history.
Tabuai-Fidow, who won the Battle Medal as man of the match, scored his second try in the 68th minute with stunning leap above Reece Walsh from a Katoa bomb to give the Dolphins a 36-32 lead, the first time they had hit the front.
Cobbo’s clinical finish in the corner four minutes later sealed the deal.
The Broncos led 30-24 after 40 minutes of electrifying rugby league, which featured nine tries.
Brisbane five-eighth Ezra Mam, of Torres Strait Islander heritage, scored a first-half hat-trick to put his own indelible stamp on Indigenous Round.
Fellow Indigenous teammate Walsh was on fire and Dolphins duo Tabuai-Fidow and Cobbo conjured moments of pure magic.
Brisbane were scoring at better at a point a minute to lead 24-0 to stun the Dolphins, who were stunned by the onslaught.
The move by Broncos coach Michael Maguire to elevate Billy Walters, in his 100th match for the club, to No.9 worked a treat. Walters had an early 40/20 and line break to set up centre Deine Mariner for a try.
Mam was unstoppable. Two of his four-pointers from close range featured dancing feet and will, while Walsh sent him over for the other.
Tabuai-Fidow’s 90m runaway try kickstarted the Dolphins’ four tries in 15 minutes. Star half Katoa was heavily involved in the tries to Connelly Lemuelu and Jamayne Isaako.
Cobbo raced backwards to scoop a loose pass up effortlessly and dispatch it to centre Herbie Farnworth who raced 30m to put an exclamation point on an extraordinary half of footy.
Katoa’s incredible chip kick after halftime for Lemuelu levelled it up at 30.
A Walsh penalty goal restored Brisbane’s advantage before Tabuai-Fidow leapt above the Broncos fullback with sheer genius and Cobbo landed the knockout blow.
The Dolphins’ bench was enormous and helped turned the tide. The sight of pocket rocket Max Plath carrying three Broncos on his back defied physics.
Ball-playing lock Kurt Donoghoe was crafty and tough in the halves.
