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The Brisbane Broncos and Parramatta Eels will face off for the second time in a month, but it feels like there is plenty more riding on it this time around. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the Round 25 opener from 7:50pm (AEST).
Brisbane sensationally fell to the Eels when the sides met in Round 21, Parramatta claiming an unexpected 28-14 victory.
It was the Eels’ fifth straight victory and since then, despite a shock loss to the Newcastle Knights, they have beaten the Canterbury Bulldogs and Gold Coast Titans.
It means Parra have won seven of their last eight and taken their prospects from battling for the top eight to being in a position where they could finish top four if results fall their way. It’s been a brilliant turnaround, and while some of their performances have been inconsistent, this side could cause headaches come September.
Of course, Brisbane look like the only team that might challenge the Melbourne Storm on the first Sunday in October.
Apart from the aforementioned loss to the Eels, Brisbane have also been dominant, having not suffered a loss since their Round 17 game against the Storm.
It seemed doomsday had come early for Wayne Bennett’s men when Andrew McCullough was injured and ruled out for the season, but Ben Hunt has filled his role brilliantly. Playing off the bench, Hunt has had three energetic games, adding a new level of spark and creativity to the attack, which has seen them run up 110 points in three games.
The first of those was a 54-0 smashing of the Gold Coast, which didn’t prove much, but big wins over the Sharks and the Dragons shows they are in scary touch.
Their defence is holding rock solid without McCullough, who was averaging 47 tackles a game with a 96 per cent efficiency. In saying that, this match will be a new test for the Broncos defence.
Even without the injured Bevan French at fullback, Mitchell Moses and Corey Norman’s combination has come into its own during this winning streak.
However, the Eels will need to score a lot of points because they are conceding an average of 19 points per game, while the Broncos have the best-attacking record in the competition, scoring 25 per game.
The Broncos’ preparation is also more or less uninterrupted, with only Tevita Pangai Junior replaced by Jaydn Su’A on the bench.
In addition, the Broncos have a record of 11-6 against the Eels at Lang Park.
Prediction
Parra are a chance here, but there is just too much pressure on Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses to generate the points required. As we saw against the Knights, the Eels defence has vulnerabilities, and after a tight first 20 minutes, Ben Hunt should prove the difference.
Broncos by 12.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this match from 7:50pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.