A player-driven cultural overhaul has Brisbane recruit Kurt Capewell drawing comparisons to former club Penrith as the Broncos eye a shock entry into the NRL's top four.
Brisbane trailed a below-strength Canterbury 16-4 in the second half a month ago, a 20-minute flurry of points snatching a victory that halted a four-game losing run.
Defeats of top-eight sides Cronulla, South Sydney and then Manly - 38-0 on Friday night - have followed.
Now entrenched in the top eight with a 6-4 record, Brisbane could push into the top four if their form continues in games against Newcastle on Thursday, Gold Coast and Canberra to follow.
Their first four-game winning streak since 2017 has dramatically shifted the narrative for the 2020 wooden spooners.
"We addressed some of the stuff off the field around our culture; it's starting to show on the field, all the effort stuff and and we're working so hard for each other," Capewell told AAP.
"All our middles (forwards), some of the efforts they put in tonight and our defence, which starts in the middle, was outstanding."
Asked what's changed, coach Kevin Walters pointed to the additions of Penrith premiership winner Capewell and instrumental halfback Adam Reynolds.
"You can talk about things and try, but the actual change has got to come from within," he said.
While Reynolds' influence has been celebrated, Capewell's arrival from the premiers has also been hugely important.
The backrower said he could see similarities between the two sides, that have until the last month occupied the two extremes of the ladder for the last three seasons.
"We're definitely building towards that; similar squad with a lot of young talent and we're definitely going in the right direction," Capewell said.
"That's our first 80-minute performance, where we were dominant from start to finish. It's good to get there, now we just have to do it every week, which is the hard part."
