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.
Emcie
Roar Guru
fair enough, not the impression I meant to give. Broncos in no way deserved to win that one. Just trying to illustrate that the Eels can't really use that scoreline to gauge where they're at in comparison to the rest of the top 8. Broncos just completely imploded and were a completely different team to what has been showing up for the last month. Arthurs expression after that last try showed he wasn't too impressed with the Eels efforts there
Bronxman
Guest
You would think Parramatta won the comp last night the way the fans are carrying on. Everyone knows that Wayne likes to lift the intensity at training a couple of weeks out from the finals, the Broncos were tired last night, you could see they were struggling. Wayne is looking ahead to whats coming up in finals, not a round 25 match against Eels. They pretty much have a top 4 spot sewn up. All the haters were writing off Broncos in the last few weeks of 2015 season, then they went on to make GF. A lot of people will be eating their words again come finals time.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Emcie, it wouldn't have made any difference, the Broncos would have lost 'no matter what'!!!
steveng
Roar Rookie
lol...tell you the truth, I've never like the Broncos. But, you were the one that commented 'but if this and if that' as far as the Broncos losing and made all sorts of excuses.
BleakCity
Roar Rookie
Or if your name is Blair...shoulder charges are completely acceptable...the more the better...unless one ends your teammates season...but your still won't be reported.
BleakCity
Roar Rookie
Unless you're Maguire...stomping on ankles is OK because I can't see out of one eye...
Emcie
Roar Guru
What happened mate? Did a Broncos player steal your favourite toy?
Emcie
Roar Guru
Sorry, got that completely wrong, Takairangi was the player that scored off the knock on
Emcie
Roar Guru
The tip on was an honest fifty fifty but he also scored one off his own player knocking on in the pass that was called as a broncos knock on.
matth
Guest
Actually one of there players is into his third week of a four week suspension, but don't let that stop you.
matth
Guest
The tap forward try was 50/50. That's it. The rest were simply too good.
matth
Guest
I think it's more a Channel 9 directive to try and keep interest in the game (and hence viewers). I've heard it heaps of times in relatively lopsided games. Para could have stay in the sheds after half time and the Broncs still would have found a way to lose that one.
matth
Guest
But you were obviously ok about the Parra try that was off a blatant forward pass that was not even referred to the bunker?
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well, its all of them, judging by the attentive and expert comments of the Broncos fans. That includes Parra's win. They even judged most of Parra's points as lucky. It got that ridiculous that, the try that Mcguire scored, off the kick of Milford and bounced off the post, with (shock horror comments) from the Ch9 commentators, who said, that it was a 'set play' and was not lucky, figure that one out? lol
steveng
Roar Rookie
That's part of the curse when you play the Broncos at Suncorp, its been happening for years, I've been saying it for years and I've said it through this blog commentary. The Broncos have won allot of games with 14 players (as you put it) or should that be 17 players when referees have given them crucial decisions that has/have turned a game on its head and has given them the win. last nights decisions/penalties were a farst, especially that pass (that was called forward) by Mosses that would have been a certain try.Nothing that we do or complain about will change the pattern of this phenomena!
Albo
Guest
Not sure his plan is to possibly finish 4th and play the Storm in Melbourne in week 1 ?
Andrew
Guest
Semi - Third player to ever score 4 tries in a match against the Broncos The other two - Sean Kenny Dowell and Cooper Vuna - both in 2010...
Andrew
Guest
Just curious which of Radradara's tries were "lucky"?
Vortex
Guest
The Broncos will turn it on for the finals. Top 4 finish gives them two bites of cherry. No panic here from a Bronx fan. I'm extremely disappointed with last night's game, but it's better to have a stinker two weeks before then finals then during. Hopefully it will be a lesson for them. I think they will dispose of a depleted Cowboys side next week which will give them the spring into the finals they need.
Andrew
Guest
I know QLD won Origin, but the fullback on display last night was the one Walters chose over the best fullback of all time.. He dogged it on Radradara's first try, he dropped it into touch when Semi was coming, he threw that hospital ball to Oats rather than get tackled, and then just let Jennings stroll into the in goal untouched. That was all before half time. .. And he is the captain? He probably wouldn't have stopped Jennings, but you know Slater would have thrown himself at the player diving for the ingoal to make him earn it... It was back to the old ex-soccer player Boyd last night.