Brisbane Broncos vs Manly Sea Eagles: NRL live scores, blog

After back-to-back wins over premiership contenders, the Brisbane Broncos are looking to maintain their momentum heading into the finals when they take on the under-siege Manly Sea Eagles. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 4:10pm (AEST).

The Broncos have put the entire competition on notice in the past fortnight with wins over the Rabbitohs and Roosters.

It did come at a cost though, with hooker Andrew McCullough rested from this week’s match after sustaining a facial injury in a controversial hit by Roosters enforcer Dylan Napa. He is replaced by Jake Turpin.

But it was the margin of the victories (20 and 16 points respectively), which have seen Wayne Bennett’s side tipped as the only team outside of the four to be true contenders for the title in 2018.

This week’s game, however, is just as if not more important than both those matches. Brisbane have had no trouble taking down the top teams, having won eight of their 12 matches this year against top-eight sides.

Rather, it is lower-ranked opposition that they have struggled against, highlighted by the fact that they headed into their game with South Sydney on the back of back-to-back losses to the Bulldogs and Cowboys.

Despite rising to the occasion in the past two weeks, it will mean nothing if they can’t dispose of a Sea Eagles side who looks like they can’t wait for their 2018 campaign to be over.

Trent Barrett’s men have shown promising signs in the past two weeks, but will need a much better attitude in defence if they are to end their season on a high, having conceded an average of 31 points in their past six games.

While Manly fans may consider their side long odds of causing an upset on Sunday afternoon, they can always find hope in the Sea Eagles’ 38-24 victory over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium earlier this year.

And that win also came at a time when the men from the Northern Beaches were struggling. That time they headed to Brisbane on the back of a five-game losing streak.

Prediction
Brisbane are at risk of suffering a letdown after back-to-back games against top sides and Manly have the cattle to cause a boilover in Barrett’s last match at the helm.

Sea Eagles by 6.

Join The Roar for the final match of the regular season, with a live blog starting at 4:10pm (AEST).

Gameinfo

When: 4:10pm (AEST)
Where: Suncorp Stadium
TV: Live, Fox League, Channel Nine
Betting: Broncos $1.22, Sea Eagles $4.50
Overall meetings: Played 44; Sea Eagles 22 wins, Broncos 21 wins, 1 draw
Last meeting: Sea Eagles won 38-24 at Suncorp Stadium in Round 10 earlier this year
Referees: Ben Cummins, Alan Shortall

Brisbane Broncos
1. Darius Boyd 2. Corey Oates 3. James Roberts 4. Jordan Kahu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Anthony Milford 7. Kodi Nikorima 8. Matthew Lodge 9. Jake Turpin 10. Sam Thaiday 11. Alex Glenn 12. Tevita Pangai Junior 13. Josh Mcguire 14. Patrick Mago 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Korbin Sims 17. David Fifita 18. Sam Tagataese 19. Todd Murphy 20. Kotoni Staggs 21. Jack Bird (four to be omitted)

Manly Sea Eagles
1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Matthew Wright 3. Moses Suli 4. Brian Kelly 5. Brad Parker 6. Dylan Walker 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Addin Fonua-blake 9. Manase Fainu 10. Martin Taupau 11. Joel Thompson 12. Shaun Lane 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Trent Hodkinson 15. Kelepi Tanginoa 16. Jack Gosiewski 17. Taniela Paseka 18. Frank Winterstein 19. Tevita Funa 20. Tom Wright 21. Toafofoa Sipley (four to be omitted)