Roar Guru
The Brisbane Broncos have a shot at securing a spot inside the top four when they host the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night to kick off Round 26. Join The Roar from 7:50pm (AEST) for live coverage.
The Broncos turned on the burners last week, rocketing to a 26-16 victory over the Storm to relaunch their 2016 campaign after weeks of poor form.
Matt Gillett and Andrew McCullough were pivotal in proving the boys from Red Hill as a genuine premiership threat, making big metres and tackles in a convincing win over the competition trendsetters.
The forward pack continues to motor ahead under the leadership of outgoing captain Corey Parker, though the halves are still struggling to keep pace with the remainder of the competition.
Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt have a big test ahead of them in the finals and will use this meeting as the perfect opportunity to refine their skills, having failed to spark in the second half of the season.
Mitchell Pearce has led a late season revival for the Roosters, having missed the first half of the season due to disciplinary matters.
The former State of Origin pivot is now back in form and helping to roll his team forward, creating a great combination with Blake Ferguson and Latrell Mitchell.
Trent Robinson’s troops have been dealt a massive blow with the losses of both Boyd Cordner and Sio Siua Taukeiaho. This has combatted this with the addition of Joseph Manu, Mitchell Frei and debutant Nat Butcher on a five-man.
Last time these two teams met, the Roosters proved themselves with a 32-16 win in Round 21. It was the 32nd meeting since 1998, with the Broncos having won 17 to the Tricolours’ 15.
Prediction
Brisbane will continue their strong charge toward the finals with an impressive win.
Broncos by 12.
Join The Roar from 7:50pm (AEST) for score updates and debate in our live blog.
You can find Riley on Twitter @rileypettigrew.