Brisbane centre and former Redcliffe player Kotoni Staggs has scored a length-of-the-field try to seal a stunning 18-12 win over the gallant Dolphins in front of a sold-out crowd in the first derby clash in the Queensland capital in 27 years.

Call it the 'Battle for Brisbane'. Call it the 'Battle of Brisbane'. It was a battle, and then some at Suncorp Stadium.

The Dolphins suffered a huge blow on Friday when halfback Sean O'Sullivan sustained a suspected torn pectoral in the 61st minute, but they refused to relent.

The Broncos led 8-0 just after halftime through tries to Jesse Arthars and Selwyn Cobbo, created by the speed and vision of fullback Reece Walsh.

The Dolphins fought back, as they do. Former Broncos prop Jarrod Wallace crashed over before late call-up Anthony Milford conjured up a sublime grubber for fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to give them a 12-8 lead.

Broncos back-rower Kurt Capewell sprinted 45 metres to score and skipper Adam Reynolds landed the sideline conversion to set up a thrilling conclusion.

The Dolphins had a late chance to win it but Staggs, who won a Queensland Cup grand final with the Redcliffe Dolphins, snaffled a Milford grubber on his tryline to race away and score the 77th-minute match-sealer.

"We didn't play very well...but I have always been schooled that when you win you have to enjoy it, which we will," Broncos coach Kevin Walters said.

"I also want to pay my respects to the Dolphins. They are a tough bloody side and they gave us a tough game.

"We have been behind in each of our games at some stage and managed to fight our way back. We got there just in the nick of time."

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett said all his players "stood up".

"That was the great part about it and what makes them such a wonderful team," he said.

"They give so much and I can't ask any more as a coach."

It was the first Brisbane derby since the Broncos played South Queensland Crushers at the same venue in 1996.

The clash already had narratives you could not script. Dolphins coach Bennett up against the Broncos where he won six titles as a coach and now helmed by Walters, who won five titles under Bennett.

Before the kick-off, another storyline emerged with Milford called up by Bennett to replace injured No.6 Isaiya Katoa and become the seventh former Bronco in the Dolphins side.

The crowd of 51,047 was the biggest ever at Suncorp Stadium for a stand-alone club game.

The first half had fire, brimstone, passion and 19 errors. The contact was intense and the players, to a man, tried perhaps too hard.

Dolphins lock Tom Gilbert, a zealot for his team's cause, got in Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds' face with an intense rant when he made a mistake.

The Broncos gave Gilbert stick soon afterwards and he spilled his lollies. It was on for young and old.

Walsh, who came up with a try-saver on Dolphins winger Tesi Niu, has given the Broncos an extra dimension in attack with his blistering speed and passing game.

Dolphins utility Kodi Nikorima came off the bench but he was soon ruled out with concussion with blood streaming from a cut above his eye.

It ultimately left the Dolphins with no recognised playmaker other than Milford for the final quarter of the match as the undefeated Broncos finished on top.

"This is group of men that doesn't know when they are beaten. We were losing players left right and centre but they kept turning up," Bennett said.