Broncos defeat Bulldogs 34-20 in NRL 2026 season finale at Homebush

Live: Bulldogs vs Broncos at Homebush

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By Jon Healy

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That's where we'll leave you

J

By Jon Healy

We'll be back tomorrow night for Titans-Dolphins and Rabbitohs-Roosters, featuring what will no doubt be another emotional tribute to Jai Arrow.

Join us then.

I can't believe this is how it ends

J

By Jon Healy

Payne Haas has played his last game in a Broncos jersey (For now, go the cries from Brisbane fans) and he's done it in a dead-rubber in front of 13,000 fans in Sydney.

For a duo like him and Pat Carrigan to end like this just feels wrong.

And Adam Reynolds is heading for retirement. Such a huge part of the core of the 2025 premiership team is gone.

Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo is miserable

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By Jon Healy

The Bulldogs coach is not happy with that performance.

"We had a lot to play for. It's been a tough up and down year. We wanted to finish the year strong. I expected us to put in our best performance of the year and we were a long way off that.

"Everything we did this week was about getting our best performance tonight and I'm shattered we didn't."

Are you listening, Reece?

J

By Jon Healy

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FULL-TIME: The Broncos close out 2026 with victory over the Bulldogs

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By Jon Healy

So it ends 34-20 to the Broncos, which is the equal-most points they've scored all year, tied with their round 23 tally against the Raiders.

Halfback Ben Hunt says they did it for Payne Haas before he sets sail for Redfern.

"Payne means a hell of a lot to this club. It's been a disappointing year but the boys carried themselves really well."

79' An absolute bottle job

J

By Jon Healy

The Broncos have a 4 vs 1 on the right and they manage to bomb it as Hayze Perham throws a no-look pass.

75' Bulldogs get the kick-off back after a ridiculous bounce

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By Jon Healy

The short kick-off is well short, bounces even further back, but then goes forward for two bounces and the Bulldogs regather in front of a shell-shocked Broncos side.

The luck is turning.

Galvin scores and the Dogs are coming

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By Jon Healy

Lachie Galvin's grubber takes a deflection and Grant Anderson can't clean up, with the halfback regathering the ricochet to score.

Stephen Crichton leaves the conversion wide left, so they still trail 34-20 with five six minutes left.

72' Ben Hunt comes up with another play

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By Jon Healy

He goes for the 40/20 from dummy half and Connor Tracey is forced to bat it back into play, but he can only knock it dead.

But it's a galaxy brain play as it turns out, because they've regathered the short dropout through Jacob Kiraz and got a piggyback penalty for a crusher tackle.

The Dogs are over

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By Jon Healy

Viliame Kikau scores a brilliant barnstorming try after a monster fend on Tom Duffy.

And the broncos have chosen to receive the kick-off as the Bulldogs finally arrive in the second half.

63' The Broncos have an all-timer taken off them

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By Jon Healy

The Bulldogs spin it right to get out of their own red zone and Lachlan Galvin launches it back left to Stephen Crichton, who fires another long ball, but Grant Anderson flies out of nowhere to intercept.

He gets caught and spun around by the defence as he looks to offload.

Eventually Tom Duffy arrives, but by that point Anderosn has to offload behind his back, and he's thrown it forward!

Duffy raced away to score, and only realised it had been called forward after he got up to celebrate.

Josiah Karapani is over for another Broncos try

J

By Jon Healy

This is getting out of hand as the Bulldogs surrender possession and Grant Anderson tip-toes up the sideline to get them flying upfield.

Ben Hunt again chips over early in the count and Josiah Karapani catches on the full, but a stumble stops him from scoring.

So he simply reloads and orchestrates a more straightforward left-side shift, ending in a stunning putdown by Karapani.

His impressive night just gets better.

The Broncos are pouring it on

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By Jon Healy

Ben Hunt comes up with what looks like a little improvisational play, propping off his left foot on the left side of the field to catch the Bulldogs' defence napping.

He kicks high into a vacant zone behind the left flank and it's perfectly weighted for Jordan Riki to catch and score.

Ben Hunt joins the party

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By Jon Healy

And it's a trademark Hunt try in his 373rd NRL game as he jags back hard off his right foot to bamboozle Stephen Crichton and Viliame Kikau.

He bumps off Connor Tracey and the Broncos have the first two tries of the second half.

47' Broncos regather off the kick-off

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By Jon Healy

The Bulldogs utilise the new rule and choose to receive, but the Broncos land it in no man's land and manage to regather.

The Broncos start the second half hot

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By Jon Healy

Pat Carrigan offloads in the middle of the field and Billy Walters wastes no time firing the ball out wide, where Kotoni Staggs unleashes Grant Anderson down the right wing.

Walters backs up through the middle and gets it back to score.

44' Josiah Karapani is having a worldie

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By Jon Healy

He's been immense under the high ball, near enough to flawless in fact, and can't be stopped when it's in his hands.

He's just had his 10th tackle bust and he's already approach 100 metres.

41' The Broncos start off the second half

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By Jon Healy

Harry Hayes charges back for the Bulldogs.