A 78th-minute Anthony Milford field goal has lifted the Broncos to a dramatic 25-24 win over the Rabbitohs in an incredible match at ANZ Stadium that featured several crucial calls from the Bunker in a frenzied second half.
The Broncos had looked in control with an 18-8 half-time lead, but the introduction of Robbie Farah in the 46th minute turned the game on its head with the Bunnies piling on three unanswered tries to hit the lead.
Tautau Moga then scored with 10 minutes to go to level the scores, before Milford stepped up at the death to nail the match-winning one-pointer with his non-preferred foot to seal Brisbane's fifth win of the season.
With Jordan Kahu (groin) missing for the Broncos, South Sydney wasted little time targeting his replacement and were rewarded after just six minutes when David Mead spilled a high kick, allowing Cody Walker to pick up the crumbs and find Damien Cook to open the scoring.
The tactic almost worked a second time from the very next set when Walker appeared to score off another bomb, only for Mead's blushes to be spared by the Bunker after they ruled George Burgess had been in front of the kicker.
It didn't take long for the Broncos to hit back, and they did so in style with Oates diving over spectacularly in the left corner courtesy of a pinpoint pass from Darius Boyd.
Souths then had the chance to retake the lead when they opted to take a shot at goal from 30 metres out, and although he missed his first attempt, fill-in kicker Bryson Goodwin made no mistakes when he was gifted a second opportunity a minute later.
Brisbane looked certain to score a couple of sets later when speedster James Roberts scooped up a ball 20 metres out from his own line with open pastures ahead of him, but Rabbitohs fullback Alex Johnston showed blistering pace to reel him with a copybook tackle.
The visitors didn't have to wait long though with Oates flying through the air to score an almost identical try off another Boyd cut-out pass to punish Hymel Hunt who needlessly rushed in off his wing with a poor defensive read.
The Broncos then received a huge slice of luck when Milford inexplicably kicked into legs early in the tackle count, with the ball ricocheting to Korbin Sims who was outside the 10 metres when John Sutton touched the ball, enabling the big man to score the easiest try of his career.
Milford moved the Broncos a further two points in front when he was collected late and high by Sam Burgess, with the five-eighth taken off for an HIA - which he passed - moments after knocking over the penalty goal.
It took 45 minutes for veteran rake Farah to get on the field and his presence seemed to lift the Bunnies who narrowed the gap shortly after when Robert Jennings crashed over in the corner thanks to a bat back by Goodwin.
Farah's influence on the game went up a gear five minutes later when he played short out of dummy-half to send Angus Crichton crashing over, with Goodwin's simple conversion levelling the scores.
Michael Maguire's decision to hold back Farah was truly justified on the hour mark when the State of Origin hooker fired a shot ball to Siosifa Talakai for the centre to barge over with brute strength to give his side the lead.
Starved of the ball for most of the second stanza, the Broncos appeared to have levelled the scores through Andrew McCullough, only for his burrowing effort out of dummy-half to be turned down by the Bunker after he was deemed to have lost control of the ball.
Souths looked to have rubbed salt into the wound when Goodwin touched down following another error by Mead at the back, but this time the Bunker gave Broncos fans some good news when they found a penalty for a shove on James Roberts.
Stunningly, the Bunker was called upon for a third time in the space of six minutes, and this time the video officials flashed the green light for the Broncos after Milford was initially held up in goal, only for the ball to be stripped out, allowing Tautau Moga to scoop up the loose ball and score to make it 24-all.
Cody Walker had first crack in the inevitable field-goal shootout but sprayed his attempt wide from directly in front, and Broncos counterpart Milford followed suit from the next set with an equally-gettable kick.
He might have missed from directly in front, but Milford showed he lifts under pressure to somehow control a half-volleyed pass, step off his right boot and then snap the match-winning one-pointer with his left foot in the 78th minute to seal the dramatic win.
Broncos 25 (Corey Oates 2, Korbin Sims, Tautau Moga tries; Anthony Milford 4 goals; Anthony Milford 1 field goal) def. Rabbitohs 24 (Damien Cook, Robert Jennings, Angus Crichton, Siosifa Talakai tries; Bryson Goodwin 4 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Half-time: 18-8 Crowd: 11,083
