Don't believe the hype or end up like Parramatta.
Wayne Bennett has delivered a blunt warning to Brisbane in a bid to keep the lid on inevitable premiership talk after crushing Cronulla 32-10 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
The Broncos moved to second spot after the five-tries-to-two win that spoiled Paul Gallen's 300th-game celebrations.
But Bennett was quick to stamp out talk Brisbane could end their 11-year premiership drought, citing another title fancy's fate.
Parramatta's top-four hopes are in doubt after their six-game winning run was snapped by lowly Newcastle 29-10.
Asked what was his advice to his high-flying Broncos with three rounds left, Bennett said: "Stop reading what you guys are going to be writing about them in newspapers or watching the TV.
"Look at Parramatta."
Brisbane are sitting pretty after six wins in their last eight games.
They next host St George Illawarra and Parramatta before a regular-season finale against North Queensland in Townsville.
But Bennett was keen to play down the premiership hype, saying he would assess their title hopes in three weeks.
"I am not thinking about winning the competition right now," he said.
"I just want to get through the next three weeks in good shape and playing good football and that's your best chance.
"If you go into the next two or three weeks not playing well then it usually ends in tears for you."
While keen to avoid more injuries, Bennett believed taking Brisbane's winning mindset into the finals was the priority.
"We are out of Origin now, the boys have freshened up, it is behind us now," he said.
"We just have to turn up each week and do things that give us confidence and not things that lose it."
Brisbane cruised to their ninth win in 11 home games despite playing the final five minutes with 12 men after Jordan Kahu was sin-binned for a professional foul.
Bennett's call to move halfback Ben Hunt to hooker to cover Andrew McCullough's season-ending knee injury again paid off.
"He was a threat all the time," Bennett said.
"A lot of people are a threat at the moment which gives others an opportunity to get over the tryline."
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