Expert
The Brisbane Broncos will travel to Homebush in Round 8 as red-hot favourites to push back into the top four against a struggling South Sydney Rabbitohs outfit. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEST).
The Rabbitohs enter this game in form that speaks volumes about where the club is at. While injuries haven’t helped their cause so far this season, they sit with just three wins – two of them coming in back-to-back weeks and outside the eight.
In fact, it’s just one win from their last four and their last start loss to the Bulldogs on Good Friday summed things up for them.
They haven’t had the consistency in attack or the strength in defence to compete with most sides they have faced. Errors have mounted far too regularly, and with the exception of a little bit of form from Cody Walker, who looks dangerous they have struggled to do much.
The fact they have only scored 122 points, which is the fifth worst in the league illustrates exactly how bad the attacking situation is at Redfern, and even with a stable side – having no changes for this clash – they are going to need to pull some magic out.
The Broncos, on the other hand have been inconsistent but still firing. Their performance two weeks ago to beat the Sydney Roosters was their best so far this season, before dropped ball, poor discipline and ordinary options almost cost them a win against the Gold Coast Titans last Friday.
After a somewhat dour start to the season, where it seemed Brisbane weren’t going to be able to score enough points to be a competitive force, they came out firing against the Roosters, running up 32 in an attacking display from start to finish.
If they can play anything like that, it could be a cricket score. Ben Hunt, who has been in strong form during the year though started his spell on the sidelines last week with injury, and it throws a spanner into the works.
While Kodi Nikorima will be better for the run, he needs to play his role alongside Milford if the points are going to keep ticking over for Brisbane, and a match against the vulnerable Souths defence could be the perfect way to get his season into gear.
Prediction
No Ben Hunt could be an issue for the Broncos, but the Rabbitohs haven’t challenged many sides in the past month and don’t expect that to start here. Could get a little bit ugly.
Brisbane by 20.
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