A brave, brutal and brilliant Canberra upset Brisbane in a 20-14 win for the ages at Suncorp Stadium to end the hosts’ unbeaten start to the season.

The Raiders were hammered 53-12 the previous week by Penrith but were a different team from the start, even without suspended five-eighth Jack Wighton and inspirational prop Joe Tapine, who stayed home awaiting the arrival of his first child.

Raiders winger Jordan Rapana left the field on a medicab in the 77th minute with blood streaming from a gaping wound in his head after being hit with a knee from Broncos prop Martin Taupau, who was put on report, but not before he had played starring role

Raiders lock Corey Horsburgh was relentless and the impetus for much of their good work. His jersey was torn to shreds at half-time when he left the field, symbolic of the way he tore into the Broncos.

Queensland coach Billy Slater would have been licking his lips watching the cruncher from Caboolture strut his stuff with State of Origin around the corner.

The visitors were on fire in attack and defence and stunned the Broncos with an early try to Rapana after a sweeping backline play.

Rapana at his best is pure gold for the Raiders and he was on a seek-and-destroy mission to bulldoze his way over from dummy-half.

The only joy the Broncos had in the first half was a freakish try in the corner by winger Selwyn Cobbo with one hand, but it was the Raiders who led 14-6 at the break.