Reece Walsh has run riot on his club debut for Brisbane to inspire a 28-16 win over North Queensland, on a night where Broncos winger Corey Oates broke his jaw.
In the earlier match on Friday, Cronulla survived a pulsating encounter to get past Parramatta 30-26 at the Western Sydney Stadium.
At Lang Park, 20-year-old Walsh showcased why coach Kevin Walters was so keen to bring him back to the club, having a hand in three tries in the space of 10 minutes either side of half-time.
The star fullback sealed the win for the home side with a 76th-minute try to cap a magic Friday night.
His scintillating speed, in combination with the electric five-eighth Ezra Mam, was too much for the Cowboys to handle in front of 43,162 spectators.
North Queensland will wait nervously for the match review committee findings, with centre Peta Hiku on report for a dangerous tackle on Walsh and fullback Scott Drinkwater for a high shot on Oates when he was denied a try just after half-time.
Oates left the field clutching his jaw, Drinkwater was sin-binned and Walsh broke a 10-10 deadlock with an instinctive left-foot kick for Kotoni Staggs in the 44th minute.
Walsh blitzed the Cowboys again five minutes later, with Mam finishing off a movement for his second try and the hosts never looked back.
The Broncos were defensively gallant with Walsh and Mam both impressing on that front. Walsh terrorised North Queensland's right edge and Mam, who scored a double, took a mile when given an inch.
The Cowboys set up a thrilling finish when second rower Jeremiah Nanai chased a Chad Townsend kick, but Walsh had the final say.
There were six matches in a row between the two clubs from 2015 to 2017 that were decided by six points or less, including the 2015 grand final won 17-16 by North Queensland.
The match had a similar feel about it from the kick-off, but it was the Broncos that had the X-factor in attack to make the difference.
The sides were locked at 10-10 at the break after both experienced halfbacks shone. Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds had grubbered for Kurt Capewell to score after Cowboys co-captain Townsend sent rampaging Nanai over.
Walsh got outside the visitors' right edge defence and then a superb in-field kick by Oates got Mam over in the 39th minute. It was a portent of what was to come.
Broncos prop Martin Taupau was also put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Jamayne Taunoa-Brown.
Sharks fight back to beat Eels
Will Kennedy ensured Parramatta's grand final hangover will last another week as the Cronulla fullback inspired the Sharks to a come-from-behind win.
With the Sharks down 10-0 early in the first half, Kennedy grabbed his first career hat-trick as Cronulla condemned the Eels to consecutive losses to start the season.
The Eels will rue the defeat as a missed opportunity after starting so strongly in halfback Mitchell Moses' 200th NRL match.
Moses grabbed two tries but the loss leaves his side 0-2 to start the 2023 campaign, with fixtures against Manly, Penrith and the Sydney Roosters on the horizon before the end of March.
The frustrating thing for Eels coach Brad Arthur will be that his side was at their full-throttle best in the early stages, with J'Maine Hopgood able to sneak an offload away for Reagan Campbell-Gillard to barge over.
Parramatta was willing to spread the ball and they struck gold when captain Clint Gutherson tipped the ball on late — before getting crunched by Jesse Ramien — with Maika Sivo touching down.
Ramien received no sanction from referee Gerard Sutton as Gutherson went off for a head injury assessment and later returned.
But while Gutherson was off, the Sharks were able to shift themselves into gear.
Braydon Trindall continued his excellent form as a fill-in for Nicho Hynes to set up tries for Briton Nikora and Will Kennedy in quick succession.
Kennedy dropped a bomb that allowed Moses to dart over for his first try of the night, before the Sharks number one backed up an incisive break by Matt Moylan to put Cronulla up 18-14 at the half-time break.
Sivo had a second soon after the interval as the Fijian trampled over Sione Katoa put the Eels back in front.
Parramatta was really beginning to turn the screw, but all the pressure was released when Ronaldo Mulitalo picked off a pass on his own line from Gutherson.
Mulitalo charged down field and while Moses was able to stop him 30 metres out, Kennedy was able to sidestep his way through two Eels defenders and register his first NRL hat-trick.
Moylan then spotted Parramatta winger Bailey Simonsson out of position and was able to chip over his head for Mulitalo to collect and plant down.
Moses grabbed a late try and they went in the hunt for a late score, but the Sharks were able to hold on and secure their first win of the season.
ABC/AAP
