Brisbane's scramble defence in second halves won them last year's premiership and it is a methodology club legend Peter Ryan insists has been brilliantly inculcated in the side by current defensive coach Ben Te'o.
The Broncos did not concede a point in the second half of last round's 18-14 away win over Melbourne in a brilliant defensive display and they will aim to replicate that resilience in the derby clash with the Dolphins this Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.
Captain Adam Reynolds missed the Storm victory with a rib injury, but trained Monday and is expected to slot back into the side as long as he gets through the week.
Brisbane are slow starters but Teo's point of pride is that the defence gets better as the game wears on. In three finals last year the Broncos conceded 64 points overall, which is a lot in isolation, but only 10 in the second half with the games on the line.
Two-time premiership winner Ryan, who was defensive coach in Brisbane's 2006 title win, said Te'o's methods were key to the current side's success.
"I coached Ben at the Broncos and ever since then he has asked about various aspects of defence. I do this one thing where I teach players to maintain connection across the field so that if you miss a tackle, I am going to make it," Ryan told AAP.
"Then if I miss it, the next guy is going to make it. It just puts us in the best possible position to defend as a group. In the modern game they call it 'scramble'. I told Ben the difference between winning and losing is teaching a team to do this well."
Te'o has adopted Ryan's approach and the players have adapted under the oversight of head coach Michael Maguire.
"There are a lot of similarities between 2006 and this team because the defensive system I ask of them is a very aggressive one and all about making your one-on-one tackles," Teo told AAP.
"A lot of that comes from Peter Ryan. He taught me and I taught them.
"Early days they were running up mountains and I made them do a lot of tackling and a lot of reps. Me and Madge (Maguire) think similar in terms of defence. He pushed me and I pushed them. The connectivity comes from the work they have done and what Madge built in them."
Ryan said the trade secrets of the method were kept in-house.
"Ben has put his own stamp on it. In those last three finals games of the season their scramble defence was the best on the day," Ryan said.
"It all comes on the back of communication and not wanting to let their mate down. Ben understands it and that is why they were so good, from his tutelage."
