Roar Guru
The Brisbane Broncos are staring down the barrel of four straight defeats and need to raise their game against the in-form Canberra Raiders. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:50pm (AEST).
After a great start to the season, the Origin period has begun to take its toll on the Broncos, with last year’s beaten grand finalists on a three-match losing streak.
The Raiders on the other hand have strung together three straight wins and look capable of unsettling Brisbane at home.
Although Canberra’s record at Suncorp is poor, the Raiders possess the confidence required to upstage the Broncos, particularly if trio Aiden Sezer, Jordan Rapana and Blake Austin play well.
The battle upfront should be tremendous, with both sides blessed with strong and mobile packs. The Raiders have lost Shannon Boyd to suspension but Paul Vaughan should slot in nicely and negate Boyd’s absence.
Matt Gillett and Corey Oates meanwhile are important inclusions to a Broncos team that lost convincingly to the Warriors last week, bringing a stabilising presence.
While they have impressed in recent weeks, and Ricky Stuart has put together a formidable team that on its day can beat any opposition, tonight’s contest against a desperate Brisbane really serves as a litmus test for the Green Machine.
Canberra’s defence remains an issue against the top sides in the NRL, and with Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford eager to fire, the Raiders face a stern test.
Prediction
If they can absorb the pressure that will come their way, the Raiders possess the class to secure a good win.
Raiders by 6.