An eye-catching debut from composed teenager Corey Norman has lifted Brisbane to a 30-24 win over North Queensland in a thrilling blockbuster derby at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Norman produced a stunning performance throughout the game, but it almost amounted to nothing as the Cowboys threatened to pinch the game in what would have been one of the most remarkable come-from-behind victories in recent memory.
Norman played a part in three of the home side's opening four tries as they rocketed to a 24-0 lead in the 48th minute, no doubt giving Broncos fans hope that there could be life after Karmichael Hunt.
However the prestigious skills of Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston, who had been kept relatively quiet in the opening half, then came to the fore as the visitors responded with four consecutive tries of their own to level the scores 24-all with ten minutes remaining on the clock.
The Cowboys opted against slotting a field goal and were soon left to lament that decision when Ashley Graham turned the ball over and the home side moved the ball quickly to Denan Kemp who ran 35m and crossed in the corner for the match-winning try in the 76th minute.
Hunt's departure to the new AFL club on the Gold Coast left a massive void at the Broncos and the key question over the pre-season was just who would attempt to emulate the feats of Hunt and pull on the full-back's jersey come Round 1.
Just as the club did in 2004 with Hunt, Broncos coach Ivan Henjak turned to youth, handing 19-year-old Norman a much-hyped dream debut in front of a 48, 516-strong crowd in Brisbane.
The part-time Australia Post employee was able to deliver.
While the majority of Broncos struggled to keep up with the frenetic pace of the contest in the opening stages, which was typified by a blitzing run through the middle from Willie Tonga, the same could not be said for Norman.
The visitors controlled momentum early on and Cowboys trio Scott Bolton, Michael Bani and Luke O'Donnell all look destined to score tries after busting through some scratchy defence, only for Norman to make a try-saving tackle on each occasion.
Norman, who has already attracted comparisons with New Zealand star Benji Marshall due to his sidestep, flick pass and schooling at Keebra Park High, then proved just as capable in attack.
The talented teen pocketed two try assists as the Broncos crossed three times in the space of ten minutes to bust the game open and establish a 20-0 lead at halftime.
Norman wasn't quite done with yet though.
Shortly after heavy rain pounded the field in the major break, the debutant brushed a tackle from Cowboys wing John Williams before putting Alex Glenn over with a slick pass that boosted the home side's lead to 24-0.
The one blip in Norman's fairytale start to his NRL career came in the 54th minute, when he failed to negotiate Thurston's kick and the error gifted opposite number Ty Williams the Cowboys' first try.
In was the break the Cowboys needed to wrestle control of momentum.
The visitors rallied, stringing together consecutive tries when the boot of Thurston delivered pinpoint service for Graham in the corner before Tonga rushed into a gap that was opened by none other than Thurston.
The halfback then stepped around a handful of would-be tacklers, waltzed