The Broncos have navigated the State of Origin period perfectly, topping off their unbeaten run since mid-May by handing Canterbury a reality check in front of 16,253 fans at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

Brisbane began the period by toppling the Knights two days before Origin I. Then they took care of Melbourne, Manly, Canberra and the Knights again, with a couple of byes in between.

With centre Justin Hodges rested but fellow Maroons Sam Thaiday, Darius Boyd, Corey Parker and Matt Gillett backing up from Wednesday night's extraordinary thumping of the Blues, this match was set to be their toughest test and they passed it with flying colours, playing the Bulldogs out of the match.

The Bulldogs - who disposed of the Storm at Belmore before last week's bye - struck first after halftime to cut the Broncos' 10-4 lead at the break to just two points. But Brisbane's experience and confidence overrode whatever fatigue their Queensland servants were feeling and they hit back through Adam Blair after yet another period of sustained pressure.

The Bulldogs had their own Origin veterans on the job, in the Morris brothers, Josh Jackson and David Klemmer - Trent Hodkinson was rested - but they always appeared a gear behind.

Not even a half time deluge of hail and lightning, which postponed the start of the second half by several minutes, could halt the Broncos, who now have breathing space at the top of the table.

Brisbane had a two-tries-to-one lead at the end of an absorbing first half that featured a disallowed try for the visitors that seemed harsh and a try for the Bulldogs that seemed generous.

In the sixth minute, Broncos winger Daniel Vidot got across but referee Jared Maxwell called a knock on by Jack Reed as he contested Ben Hunt's bomb. Following a glut of possession and position, nine minutes later Vidot got over for one that counted, capitalising on a stacked left side attack and quick hands, the last of which were Reed's.

Brisbane were faster and more enterprising but Canterbury did well to hang and not concede more points. With Klemmer off the bench and after a couple of much-needed barnstorming runs from the forwards, the Bulldogs got even when Josh Morris wrestled to get his ball-carrying left arm over the line after getting a dicey pass from Brett Morris.

The pass appeared to drift a long way forward but was given six again by referee Maxwell, suggesting he judged it to have touched Gillett as the second rower tried to make the tackle. The video referee had a look but didn't overrule and the score became 4-4 with 14 minutes left in the half.

The Bulldogs had the momentum but Brisbane had the nerve late in the half, with Thaiday looping around unexpectedly off Anthony Milford's left shoulder to slam the ball down for a converted try.

They almost had another when, with just seconds remaining, winger Lachlan Maranta was denied a one-handed diving effort from a cross-field kick by Hunt. The ball had just come loose as he tried to ground it.

Torrential rain at half time cleared and after a delayed start Canterbury young gun Shaun Lane got the home side underway, carrying three Brisbane defenders across the line to make it 10-8 to Brisbane.

But the Broncos increased their discipline, culminating in an Blair converted try from close range under the posts.

Chasing the game, the Bulldogs started to make unforgivable errors, including Tim Lafai being barrelled over the sideline by Reed on the second tackle of an attacking set and Curtis Rona giving away a penalty by trying to drag Maranta back into the in-goal.