In light of the tumultuous pre-season, which included Payne Haas's announcement of leaving the club and a loss in the World Club Challenge, the Broncos were eager for a victory to quell the growing unrest.
Unfortunately, the noise is now destined to amplify following their 26-0 defeat to the Penrith Panthers, who sought vengeance for last year's preliminary final loss.
This defeat marks the most significant loss by a defending champion in the first round since Manly fell 44-10 to Brisbane in 1988, and it also represents Penrith's largest win against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
The defending champions appeared poised to score on several occasions, yet their attempts faltered consistently due to ineffective ball handling, which plagued the Broncos throughout Friday night's match.
Defensively, Brisbane struggled as well, allowing the Panthers to dominate the middle; both Isaah Yeo and Dylan Edwards amassed over 270 run metres together.
Meanwhile, Reece Walsh was largely muted during the game, and although Ezra Mam displayed moments of potential, these came too late, following Michael Maguire's decision to start him from the bench.