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Adam Reynolds said the Brisbane Broncos would be going "back to the drawing board" after an embarrassing 48-point home loss to the Melbourne Storm.
The 60-12 flogging was just the second time in history that the Broncos have conceded 60 points, the first coming in a 68-22 loss to Parramatta back in 2007.
"This has got to be up there with one of Brisbane's worst-ever defeats," league icon Paul Vautin offered on commentary during Nine's coverage.
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After a blistering performance at Parramatta Stadium against the Eels a few rounds ago, Brisbane was dreaming of a top four finish.
Now after three losses in four weeks, they're not even locked in to a top eight spot with a tricky rematch against Parramatta looming on the horizon.
"We were really excited through the week - pretty disappointing that they were just rolling through us," Reynolds said afterwards.
Reynolds said the team would just have to shrug it off and reset before that crunch game.
"It was just one of those nights - nothing went right for us."
A win next week assures them of finals footy. A loss, and they're suddenly very invested in the fortunes of the ninth-placed Canberra Raiders, who can sneak into the finals with wins in each of their remaining fixtures.
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Despite not being mathematically secure, coach Kevin Walters wasn't entertaining any scenario where his team drop out of the eight.
"I'm not nervous about it - we get our processes right and what we can do as a footy team, and everything else will look after itself," Walters said.
"I've still got, even after the disappointment of tonight, a lot of confidence and a lot faith and belief in this group and what they can do."
For Melbourne, a shaky few weeks, where it lost four in a row, are well and truly over.
"To put 60 on a good quality team like the Broncos, we obviously turned up tonight," Cameron Munster said.
The spine was clicking with the returning Jahrome Hughes - with both Munster and Brandon Smith praising the work of Harry Grant in his 50th game in the top grade.
"We really put on a show," Smith said.
"He was Harry Houdini today."
The Storm can secure a top four finish with a win against the Roosters next week - and unlike Latrell Mitchell's ominous warning seven days ago, Smith opted to play it cool.
"I don't really care about the rest of the competition - as long as we're proving a point to ourselves," he said.
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