BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

The full-time score at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night was always going to be elementary. What Brisbane Broncos fans wanted – even more than their new coach Kevin Walters – was a side they could believe in again.

Judging by the noise coming out of the ground from the first minute – long into the second-half – was that the supporters finally had a team they could get behind.

Most rugby league fans are sick to death of the Broncos playing on a Friday night.

To those in Brislamabad, it’s a way of life.

They just needed a good footy club to cheer again.

The Broncos took a 16-0 lead into the half-time break.

Every man and their dog expected the Broncos to fold in the second stanza.

Apparently, the Eels are one of the contenders for the premiership.

Instead, we saw the Broncos fight and scrap and play some pretty good footy.

With Parramatta leading by two points with under 20 minutes to play, Broncos halfback Brodie Croft appeared to bomb a chance close to the Eels line. Instead, on review, it was viewed that Croft got a leg to the footy. Apparently the Broncos didn’t ground the ball.

It looked like he did.

The 2020 version of the Broncos would have folded ages before any opportunity of a tight finish.

Parramatta weren’t great.

Who knows how important this performance was?

But it’s a start.

The fact is, the Broncos got themselves into an arm wrestle with one of the better teams in the premiership.

And when we say arm wrestle, we mean, ‘loose rugby league on a fast track in Brisbane’.

Whether you like it or not, good footy at Suncorp is entertaining footy.

Eventually, finally, Parramatta sealed the game with a crash try to their big unit Junior Paulo on the hooter.

Bravo rugby league.

Welcome back to the Brisbane Broncos.

Congratulations to the Eels.

A cracking game of footy.

And how good is it?

The small but excited travelling fans finished in the western stand at Suncorp with a ‘Parra’ chant.

How good is it to have the mighty game back?

Broncos veteran Alex Glenn told ABC Grandstand post-match that he was proud of his mates but acknowledged that the injuries during the match hurt the performance.

“We’re a new team,” Glenn told ABC.

That’s all the city of Brisbane wants to hear.

The greatest game of all.

@woodward_curtis