The 1996 Brisbane Broncos season was the ninth in the club's history. They competed in the Australian Rugby League's 1996 Optus Cup premiership and finished the regular season in second place on the ladder, progressing as far as the semi-finals.
In 1996 the Broncos once again started solidly, went through a losing streak mid-season but recovered to finish strongly, conforming to the pattern of previous seasons.[1] However again they capitulated, losing to North Sydney and Cronulla to lose their fifth straight finals match. Gorden Tallis, at the time still contracted to the St George, chose to sit out this season rather than play for the Dragons as he had also signed to play for the Broncos in 1996. At the end of the 1996 season, players Kerrod Walters, Alan Cann, Willie Carne and Michael Hancock were asked to leave the club, as they could no longer be guaranteed regular places in the Broncos' first grade team.